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By James Reubin
Ever since we were kids, I’ve always looked up to my older brother Joel. For me, he was everything every parent wanted their child to be, loving, obedient and smart.
He did great in school and always excelled in his classes, making our parents really proud. They spoiled him so much; they bought him a car, paid for his college and gave him a big monthly allowance.
The conflict started when he got his girlfriend pregnant. Feeling shamed, hurt, and angry, our parents had a hard time forgiving his actions. They decided to let him suffer the consequences so they cut off his allowance and kicked him out of the house.
In dealing with problems, you can choose to be a victim or you can decide to turn your life around.
Sometimes rejection has a way of crushing your soul. However, it only hurts the worst when you give it meaning and the power to affect you.
In the piece “Take the Hit: Getting over Your Fear of Rejection”, writer Harris O’Malley explains why we shouldn’t let rejection define who we are.
He compares it to studying Martial Arts, wherein you can’t avoid getting hit. The same thing happens in real life, so you have to learn to roll with the punches. He also said:
“The only way to learn how to take a punch is to get punched.”
Rejection is something that we shouldn’t take personally. For me, it’s similar to going to your favorite restaurant only to find out that the place is closed for the day, or ordering a Big Mac to go and when you open your order at home, you get a fish fillet.
Unfortunately, for my brother, it was personal. Feeling unwanted and criticized, he allowed his life to rapidly go downhill. He rebelled and refused to take responsibility of his actions. He hit rock bottom and got lost in the funk of sadness.
Acceptance is a hard choice, but it could lead to a happier and a more peaceful life.
When my nephew was born, he began to see things differently. He apologized and made peace with our parents. He reprogrammed his mindset and brought back the achiever in him.
His life changed radically. He worked as an affiliate marketer and writer online while he also studied to get his degree.
When you stop relying on others, you’ll feel better about yourself. It gives you an inner strength that fuels your life and makes you become more positive about the things and people around you.
Wise up, take responsibility and own your success. It won’t be a walk in the park, but there are ways to make things easier.
In “5 Reasons Freelancing Is Actually a Smart Way to Get Ahead in Your Career,” writer Molly Falco shares how freelancing changed her life for the better.
Working independently allows us get to know ourselves more. It gives us the opportunity to discover our strengths and weaknesses and it also teaches us to have some serious respect for money.
Eliminate the victim mentality by not letting other people’s opinion define you.
Stay tough. Remind yourself about the difficult things you’ve dealt with, draw your strength from there and use it to overcome future challenges.
Speaking of dealing with problems and depression, I know a lot of people who rely on alcohol every time they’re going through hardships in their life.
What they don’t know is that alcohol itself is a depressant. It will only make you more frustrated and sad. And though it offers a feeling of lowered inhibitions, it’s still not worth binge drinking considering its serious health implications.
Be grateful of your past and for what you have become to be. Be glad for the lessons and be an inspiration to others who are going through the same things.
We can’t change the past, that’s why we should keep moving forward. Celebrate your accomplishments and always remind yourself that you are not a quitter but a fighter, not a victim but a survivor.
On a lighter note, fighting all those troubles and dealing with all those problems in life can definitely make us look older. So, I’m leaving you with this anti-aging regimen– “7 Ways All Guys Can Easily Look Younger.”
You have the power to change your world.
So, go out there and fight for your happiness. Don’t let others dictate who you are and restrict what you can do. Never let anyone bring you down. Know your value and take control of your life.
If others can do it, you can too. It’s time to start living the life you always wanted guys!