It was a regular Monday night. I was tutoring a new student and he was complaining about the way he had to read, “The Mouse and the Motorcycle” with his reading group. I proposed, “Ask your teacher if you can read with your group.”
He responded with a disempowered, “We already have. She said no.”
“Ask again. Sometimes teachers will say no to an idea at first because they have many, many things on their mind. But sometimes they go home and think about “why” they said no to the idea. Give your teacher another chance to be flexible. What have you got to lose?”
I was asking this 10 year old to risk being rejected.
I was in a cab on the way home and I was writing in my journal and not thinking about anything in particular when a well-known fact entered my thought process and screeched to a treacherous halt. I fear rejection. I had just offered this student some advice that I truly believed in, and that was it, the idea was born, “The REJECTION PROJECT.” Now, I am not going to lie. I Googled it and guess what? Someone already had the same great idea. I don’t know any details, because I didn’t stay long enough on his page to know. This idea was going to germinate in my mind, in my gut.
This week I dabbled in the rejection-bog. Unaware of what was lurking beyond my comfort zone. This is what occurred:
- I drafted a letter asking for a sponsor in my upcoming race season. I didn’t sent it – I got no sponsor.
- I contacted some new friends to see if there might be a weekend invite – I got invited but couldn’t go.
- I asked a new friend if she wanted to come biking on the weekend. She didn’t come, but she graciously asked for a rain-cheque.
- I asked Ricardo for is credit card so that I could get my EcoBici. I got it!
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| My boxes arrived. I picked them up, dropped them off at the new digs and rode this beauty home! |
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The results aren’t too surprising, are they? It goes back to; Matthew 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Now, I am no Bible-buff. I am going to believe in the merit of this.
Anthony Robbins shares a similar lesson. He says, “Life will pay whatever you ask of it.”
This is not what "THE REJECTION PROJECT" is about though. I was supposed to be rejected so that I could work my rejection-muscle; feel it throbbing from exertion, but then feel the release. Throb, release, throb, release … it’s almost sexy!
This week I will get rejected. These are some of my ideas:
- Ask the school at least 3 times if I can start teaching Yoga-For-Teachers
- Ask to open a bank account at HSBC
Ask for money in the subway station (and then buy food someone in need – if not rejected)- Ask my dad to lend me his car for the summer (I am definitely doing this) … what could I offer him in return?
- Say hello to many, many people on the streets with a smile
- Ask the school again about starting the triathlon club
- Send my letter to companies asking for a sponsor
- Ask my new roommates (I am moving into my own room on Wednesday) if they want to join me for yoga
To rejection and peace,
Di.
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