You Turn by Ashley Stahl

Author:Ashley Stahl
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781950665747
Publisher: BenBella Books, Inc.
Published: 2020-11-20T00:00:00+00:00

REJECTION IS THE PATH TO YOUR FREEDOM

Turning away from the window with a satisfied smile on my face, I cranked up Ja Rule and danced around the room as I got ready. I put on Audrey Hepburn–esque pearls and loaded my book bag. When everything was set, I realized that I was, in fact, ready. Ready to take the next step in life and create opportunities for myself here in DC. Perhaps a job offer was waiting after I completed my one-year master’s degree in London. There was no looking back. This inspired me to research networking events online so that I could make myself busy every single night when I was in DC. The thought of walking into a sea of strangers every night gave me anxiety, but I wondered if it could almost be like rejection therapy: getting rejected so much that eventually it would set me free, and I wouldn’t care anymore. In fact, rejection actually activates the same areas of the brain that experience physical pain,3 so much so that taking acetaminophen (like Tylenol) can actually reduce your brain’s sensitivity to rejection.4 Like feeling the initial soreness and aches from hitting the gym to build muscle, if I could train myself with being rejected, it wouldn’t hurt anymore. In fact, I started to see it as an experiment: thirty days only. I promised myself I’d just see what happened. Sometimes in life you have to make your own opportunities. If I didn’t like what it did for my career, I told myself, I’d ditch the networking and give in to a future of applicant-tracking hell for job applications after grad school. What I didn’t realize then was that this whole networking thing would be totally aligned with my CORE NATURE, the human in me who wanted to connect with people and grow.

I walked out of my brick-red row house, and even though I was flying solo to a networking event, I noticed a spring in my step. I felt powerful, motivated, and ready for anything. I was dressed to kill wearing a cobalt-blue dress and carrying a Kate Spade bag that meant business. After the long walk to Capitol South Metro Station, my smile connected with a toothless homeless man nearby. He held a cup that said Hungry Vietnam Vet … Please Help. I reached into my bag and handed him an apple and granola bar I had left over from my day of classes. Reaching out his hand, he looked up at me and smiled warmly. “Girl, you lookin’ like a young Audrey Hepburn today.”

Bingo! But was it that obvious? Was I trying too hard? Pushing back the momentary insecure thoughts, I looked back and said, “That’s exactly what I was going for. With a little splash of Michelle Obama, maybe?”

I laughed and told him this was officially my first time on the Metro, so he helped guide me on purchasing my first Metro card.

He looked up and asked, “Where you headed?”

I felt a warmth wash over me and wondered why this sweet, toothless man would feel so comforting to me.

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