Rejection therapy is about conquering your fear. Because the most effective way to overcome the fear of rejection is to face it.
I also remember my favorite quotation that everything has a reason. Even the tiniest rejection has meaning. Rejection means there is something better waiting for you. I remember when I took a famous scholarship exam. I found the exam, less difficult than the entrance exam in college. It is the first time, I felt that I am confident about the result of my exam. In addition, the number of takers are less than the past examiners so the chances are high. Then on December 31, they release the list of passers online and I did not find my name. I felt so disappointed, ashamed, rejected and a mess. I keep asking myself where did I lack and what happened. But then , I did not back out, since I did not pass on that big scholarship, I will try anything else. So, I applied one and finally, I was qualified. Then the big spin off occurs. A letter came from the big scholarship and said that I was a potential qualifier. My exam results are qualified but I lack the requirements so they asked me to process it. After a year, I became an official scholar of that big scholarship and my allowance came like a bomb since I did not receive almost half because I thought I did not pass. From the person who just wants any scholarship to help her studies and family, that person is already blessed with two scholarships and one educational assistance. I was rejected for bigger reason. And that reason is a blessing.
As an entry for this Rejection therapy activity, I chose the "Write anything challenge". It is where I will ask the strangers if they can write anything on my shirt. I chose to shoot at the Taal town proper, around the market. I picked this since I want to know what the people will write and if they will say a reason why they will reject it. I also want something from this activity that I can take as a souvenir.
My first attempt is a lady who I think in her 20s. She was with a little boy and they are buying something. The lady asked why and when I said I cannot said the reason, she grabbed the pen, and started writing on my back. She wrote "from ash we rise". Being also as an affected people from the Taal volcano, I felt moved and inspired. That after all these challenges, we will still rise again. And that is my first acceptance.
I saw an older woman and asked her. She interviewed me shortly, asked why, before rejecting me. The reason she rejected me, is that she do not know how to write and her friends went away so there is no one to help her. I apologized to her since I became insensitive in her part. I learned that you must be really observant and sensitive to the people around you.
I chose the security guard from a pawnshop to be my third target. He constantly asked why am I doing that and he is hesitating several times. In the end, he returned the pen to me and asked to do it in other people because he is embarrassed. That became my second rejection. I thought he will accept it because he took the pen but I think he wants to know first the reason before engaging in something. And I think it's part of their job.
From there, I saw a gown shop and asked the owner for a favor. They asked why but I still did not say the reason. Then, the woman wrote "bangon batangas". It is like amidst everything, they will still fight and rise up. I think it is the only one gown shop that I saw opened at that time. My acceptance accounted up to two.
Inside the market, I saw group of people closing their shop. I approached this kid and she shyly asked why. She really feels embarrassed and think she is thinking what to write on my shirt. The people around her encourage her to just write anything and finally she wrote "I ♥ Batangas". She must be a proud Batangueña. I found her courageous to write it even though our province is facing a big challenge. I also see a portion of myself from her .
The last strangers from my video is this group of children playing amidst of dust. There are four of them. The eldest of them, accept my challenge and wrote "from Melody", which I assumed was her name. However, the other three children declined. I just told them to get a mask if they wanted to play. They might get sick from those dust.
I did not include this in the video since I already got 4 acceptance and 5 rejections. But as I approached this elder man in orange shirt, who is cleaning the air conditioner, he rejected me and asked his fellow to do it instead. The other man wrote "Bulkang taal 2020". Yes, it will never be forgotten, especially for the affected ones.
The image shows the writings from the random strangers around Taal market. What they've got in similar is the issue about Taal volcano. They are fighting and will not succumb to fall down. Through this therapy, I think of it as a game where I should get more rejections than acceptance. I did not feel sad or miserable. I also felt that my confidence went up but still there is this embarrassed feeling after every approach to strangers. Since I'm not really good in opening up a conversation.
Yes, it is difficult to accept rejection. It is hard for us to hear "You're not qualified", " You're not good enough", "What a loser", "You're dumb", "You did not make it" from other people. We've tried everything but it is still not enough for them. We're tired and helpless. But what can we do? We are just humans. So we are allowed to cry, fall down, let it all out. And that is alright. But after that, we need to move again.
Rejection therapy gave birth to another meaning of rejection. For me, rejection can motivates us better. Our patience will also improve. We can master something we did not thought we can excel. It makes us stronger and rejection is an opportunity for growth.
Therefore, live with rejection, learn from rejection, conquer your fear.