Rejection sucks. You finally build up the confidence and put yourself out there, and it backfires in your face. Even if the person does it so nicely, you’re not even sure if it’s really rejection- it still sucks. It happens to all of us, so at least we can find some solace in that. There is no exact trick to dealing with rejection, but there are some ways you pick yourself up when you’re feeling down:

Feel your emotions

Ignoring and denying your feelings is only going to make them come out even worse at a later time. There’s no right or wrong way to feel about being rejected, so you have to allow yourself the room to really feel your emotions.

Cool off

Although you might be tempted to say something hurtful back to the person who rejected you, it’s important to bite your tongue and cool off. Saying something hurtful back is only going to make the situation worse.

Focus on the positive

So you’ve been rejected one time, that doesn’t mean you’re going to keep getting rejected. There’s a whole world of people out there, so focus on that instead of on the actual rejection.

Work on your self-esteem

There’s no denying that being rejected can make you feel bad about yourself. And although those feelings might come, it’s important not to let yourself obsess over it. Don’t let the rejection bring you down and remind yourself just how great you really are.

Don’t take it personally

You might be wracking your brain trying to think of the exact reason why this person rejected you, but the truth is you probably won’t ever really know why. Don’t obsess over why you think they did it, and don’t take it so personally.

Continue putting yourself out there

Don’t let getting rejected one time deter you from putting yourself out there again. Getting rejected just means that person wasn’t the right one for you! Accept the rejection, move on, and continue pursuing other interests.

Learn from the rejection

Although you might want to move on from the rejection as soon as possible, take the time to reflect on it. There’s something to be learned from rejection, and you can use that to help yourself with future experiences.