I’ve always been nervous about hearing the word no. Whether it was asking a professor for an extension or trying to strike up a conversation with someone new, the idea of rejection has always made me freeze. So, I decided to test myself with something called, drumroll please, Rejection Therapy! The idea is to purposely put yourself in situations where people might say no, just to get used to it. I tried it for one week, and here’s how it went.
Day One: I started small and asked the barista if I could get a student discount on my milkshake, even though I knew there wasn’t one. She smiled and said no, but it wasn’t scary at all. We even laughed about it and discussed how expensive Vancouver is! Honestly, that little moment gave me more confidence to keep going
Day Two: It was raining (not surprised, it’s Vancouver), and I asked a stranger if I could borrow their umbrella. I knew they’d say no, but that’s the point. They looked surprised, shook their head, and walked away. I FELT SO EMBARRASSED, but the worst thing that happened was a simple no, and that was it.
Day Three: After class, I asked my professor if I could get a sneak peek at next week’s quiz questions (Yes, at this point, I was becoming a little more fearless each day).
Obviously, they said no, but we ended up having a good conversation about study strategies. I actually walked away with more help than I expected.
Days Four and Five: I went to three different places and politely asked for free fries. Two of them laughed and said no (very expected). But one restaurant surprised me by bringing out complimentary nachos. That little act of kindness made my whole day, and I was so grateful for it.
Day Six and Seven: To end the week, I asked a stranger if they would switch seats with me for a window spot on the bus. I was prepared for a no, but they agreed right away. We even exchanged a few pleasantries, and it felt like such a wholesome moment. It showed me that sometimes you brace yourself for rejection, but people surprise you with kindness.
After seven days, I stopped seeing rejection as a big, scary thing. Most of the time, it was just a short moment and then life went on. Sometimes it even led to better conversations. Rejection therapy doesn’t make you fearless, but it makes you realise rejection doesn’t define you. Once I started thinking “rejection is just redirection,” life became easier.
So why not seize the day? Ask your crush out on a date, ask your professor for advice on something that scares you, or ask your roommate to join you on a spontaneous adventure. What’s the worst that can happen? They say no. But it’s better than not knowing which no might have turned into a yes.
You are always one question away from changing your life. Let us know in the comments what you think about trying rejection therapy!
