When one door closes

Have you ever wanted something so much in life that just didn’t work out?

A job? A relationship? An opportunity of some sort? For whatever reason, you didn’t get it. 

I have received a lot of nos in my life. 

I’ve had relationships end I didn’t think I wanted to end.  

I’ve not gotten the job I thought I wanted several times. 

I’ve got rejection letters from university programs I thought I wanted to get into. 

Etc….etc….etc.

Hearing no is not easy. Being told you didn’t get it is hard. And being told you’re not the person what someone wants can be heartbreaking. 

However, hearing no has become easier for me over time. Not because it feels less painful, but because I started to develop a trust in life that this no was really a yes to something (or someone) even better for me. 

I keep seeing it happening, no after no. 

The classic “when one door closes, another one opens” could not be more true even if it takes a really long time (sometimes years), and sometimes lots more nos along the way for that other door to open. 

I’ve started to become really grateful for nos, for rejection, for the pain because I know something much better than I ever could have planned could be coming.

These nos have moved me one step closer to some amazing opportunities and incredible people. 

If I allow them to, I can let the nos define my self-worth. BUT I can also remind myself that just as everyone is not for me, I am not for everyone. I want the right people to like me for exactly who I am. I want to end up in the places that are truly right for me. I absolutely believe in determination and persistence, but I also believe in staying open to new possibilities when a door closes. 

If you’re in a no moment of life right now, remember that you might actually be on your way to your next great relationship, job, opportunity, self discovery etc. that could totally change your life for the better. 

Be patient, be kind to yourself, and keep going.

Here’s a photo of me sitting in London, a city I love but never expected to live in, and I am very grateful for all the nos that brought me here.