At Least Rejection Knows How to Make an Entrance
- Tanesha Moody
- Mar 15
- 4 min read
At Least Rejection Looks Good
Whenever I experience Rejection, I have a picture of a woman Mime in my head. And yes, for you, Rejection may be male or gender-non-conforming in your imagination. It doesn't really matter. What does matter to me is having a clear, visual representation of Rejection. Personifying Rejection helps me recognize when she shows up and how to deal with her more effectively. Visualizing Rejection, our saboteurs, and emotions, we have the opportunity to recognize when they are actually present so that we can respond with intention.
My Mime? She's truly a hot mess.
Regarding performance quality, my Mime is pretty awful and will definitely not win an Emmy anytime soon. She's noisy, constantly breaking character, and laughs when she's supposed to stay silent. When the flurry of emotions always accompanying Rejection hits me, she juggles them in the air and lets them fall every single time. My Mime loves balloons as well, which I personally strongly dislike. She'll hold that red balloon like a shining source of hope and beacon of light and let it slip right out of her hand with a smile on her face.
The tightrope walk? She does that one, too. Rejection always wobbles and falls off right when the peak of the rejection experience lands, just like Lady Gaga during that Super Bowl performance. You know what I'm talking about.
My Mime's favorite act is the Invisible Wall Routine. She will build and erect that wall, like a defense mechanism, whenever it feels like I'm outside an environment where I wanted to be or an opportunity. She's not the best at her performance, so there's always a whole section missing on her wall. Homegirl is truly a hot mess.
Regardless of her shortcomings, my Mime is always on time. When the stakes are high, and there's a possibility of Rejection, she is ready to enter from stage left.
Why personify Rejection in the first place? As a Theatre professional, this is a bit dramatic even for me. However, sometimes the unconventional approach can help.
It becomes a little easier to manage when we visualize something as frustrating as Rejection or any of our saboteurs and "negative" emotions. By putting a face (or, in my case, a whole mime performance) on Rejection, it stops being this vague, ominous force in the background. I know immediately when she shows up, allowing me to notice her and even laugh if it will help. I’ve taken back a little bit more of my power that she tried to rob.
This approach is one of the surprising benefits of personifying Rejection: we can detach from it. When I see her trying to fumble through that tightrope walk, I know it's coming, but I also know I've got options. My Rejection Mime isn't there to destroy my existence and send me to the corner, crying into a pillow pet. Instead, she's just doing her thing, bringing some gifts along the way. Ultimately, it's my decision how I want to engage with her.
Takeaways:
Visualizing Rejection Makes it Manageable: Giving Rejection a "face" (or mime) helps us recognize it quicker and take control of our response before it spirals out of hand.
Rejection Always Brings Gifts: As clumsy as she might be, Rejection doesn’t show up empty-handed. She brings clarity, perspective, and sometimes the motivation to keep pushing forward.
We Control the Narrative: We can’t stop Rejection from coming, but we can control how we engage with her. By shifting our mindset, Rejection becomes a tool for growth, not an obstacle.
Embrace the Chaos: Instead of dreading Rejection, lean into her awkwardness. The more we face her, the more we learn to navigate the obstacles she creates—and the stronger we become in the process.
So, don’t rush her out the door the next time Rejection crashes your party. Let her stay for a while—she might have brought some wine, and you could learn something from her clumsy antics.
<!-- LinkedInContent: <span class="hidden-content">🎭</span> At Least Rejection Looks Good <span class="hidden-content">🎭</span>
If Rejection were a person, what would they look like? For me, she’s a messy mime juggling my emotions and fumbling through life. And honestly? Imagining her this way makes dealing with rejection a whole lot easier. 💡
In my latest blog, I share how personifying Rejection has helped me take back control. By giving her a face (and a less-than-stellar performance), I can detach from the sting and focus on what she brings to the table: clarity, perspective, and growth.
Here’s why visualizing Rejection works:
<span class="hidden-content">👀</span> It makes her presence easier to spot.
<span class="hidden-content">🎁</span> She doesn’t show up empty-handed—her gifts include resilience and clarity.
<span class="hidden-content">🤝</span> You get to decide how to engage with her, shifting the narrative to one of growth.
💬 What would your Rejection Mime look like? Let’s talk about it in the comments—you might be surprised what shows up!
Ready to shift your perspective on Rejection and turn it into a tool for growth? Let’s work together. Check out my Falling Full Out workshop or book a one-on-one coaching session today! <span class="hidden-content">🔗</span>
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