On Attachment #219: How a Fear of Rejection Keeps Us From What We Want Most
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Dec 16, 2025 Fear of rejection extends beyond romantic relationships, impacting friendships, work, and creativity. It stems from evolutionary roots, making rejection feel personal and triggering avoidance. This creates a cycle of self-criticism and loneliness. By building resilience, reality-checking assumptions, and taking small risks, individuals can break free from self-rejection. Emphasizing that rejection reflects compatibility, not worth, offers encouragement to embrace opportunities and live more boldly, even in the face of potential rejection.
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Rejection Fear Reaches Everywhere
- Rejection fear extends beyond dating into work, friendships, creativity, and relationships.
- It can silently govern whether we take risks or allow ourselves to be vulnerable.
We Turn Others' Choices Into Self-Judgment
- People with rejection sensitivity often internalize others' choices as proof of personal deficiency.
- That habit turns neutral outcomes into painful confirmations of unworthiness.
Rejection Mirrors Self-Criticism
- At the heart of fear of rejection lies self-rejection and deep self-criticism.
- Rejection often feels like a mirror confirming beliefs we already hold about being unworthy.