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Nobody deserves being rejected. First off, the world is cruel enough. And second, there’s a fair share of karma involved in it. If you ever reject someone, the chances are the same thing will come to you as a boomerang when you least expect it. In a parallel reality, everyone would have a reciprocal “It’s a match!”

But being told ‘sorry’ by your love interest is surely much more complex than that. And the best way to take a glimpse into humanity’s hurt souls is to look at what people have to say themselves.

So when Twitter user Eden Dranger posed the question “What was your harshest rejection?” it resonated with many, amassing 4,173 retweets and 67.6K likes.

So let’s get ready for a brutal, yet sometimes funny, other times plain odd, roller coaster ride featuring the stories of rejection as told by the ones who know what they’re saying.

#1

Emberrassing-Rejection-Stories

Brooksbelle Report

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Brandon Collinsworth
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

While raising my oldest girls I would listen to the things they were saying about their "friends" and other kids at school and came to realization that I was raising mean girls. I remember having a conversation with them at one point and telling them how strange it is knowing that if teenage me was in school with them we would be arch-enemies. They both have grown up to be sweet, friendly, lovely, young ladies.

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TheGirlFromTheNorth
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Good for you, choosing your family is a perk of being an adult. Your mom doesn't deserve you.

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Carol Emory
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sounds like my mother. She paid my sister $300 not to go to her senior prom. She sabotaged my sister's chance of going to college right out of high school by saying my father refused to sign the student loan papers only to find out later that he'd never seen them. She constantly thought she was "saving" my sister from humiliation because my sister was overweight her entire life. My sister was a straight "A" student and ASB Secretary for 2 years in high school, including her senior year. She was so popular that, through my first year at the same high school, all her former teachers called me Diane by mistake. Too bad she couldn't see how much harm she did trying to protect her.

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deanna woods
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My parents were the opposite. They always encouraged us and pushed us to do our very best. The one thing that ticked off my dad was that the school kept calling me in for random drug testing. I had never done a drug a day in my life.

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Iggy
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh my god! What a dreadful woman! Glad she's out of the picture.

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Petra Christovová
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What a mom (irony). You are lucky to have a better people in your life now, family need not to be blood and vice versa.

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Ozacoter
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

One that should have never have kids. I hope that she dies alone and miserable.

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Raine Soo
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh, dear. What your mother said to you was rough, and hurtful. I'm glad to see that you had the courage to weed her out.

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Marina
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm really really sorry that you felt you were unsafe telling her this and found out you were right... I'm happy you were so strong and in the end you're healthy, happy and loved <3

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Robert Thomas
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This has happend to me because i come out weird and unpopular but my mom wants me to wear matching socks and other clothes when really nobody is gonna care also i have adhd and dyscalculia so normal life and school is also hard for me

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AzKhaleesi
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

wtf??? I could never say that kind of thing to my kids, the closes I even ever came to something like that was telling my 14 (she's in a phase) that if she keeps up acting like she does she won't have friends, but I love her so I'll always be there.

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Mewton’s Third Paw
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Jeeeez what the hell. What does being friends with someone even have to do with not bullying them? You don’t have to be friends to not be a bully. Mom is dumb.

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Jo Johannsen
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My sympathy; my mom didn't see much use for me either. You made a good decision.

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Jennifer Norton
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That is so wrong, your mother needs to be slapped..... several times! Anyone ever touches any of my babies and I am whooping all their asses!!!!

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Daune Tullina
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And that why God gives you friends. It's her/them/they/his way of saying 'sorry about your family'

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Beatrice Multhaupt
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My parents both grew up in Nazi Germany. When i was six years old, my father said, ''If Adolf Hiltler were still alive, something like you wouldn't be allowed to live''. (''Unter Adolf würde man sowas wie dich nicht leben lassen''). I have few friends. I'm probably a bit weird.

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Anny
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I used to be really quiet because i suffered with anxiety and depression since i was a child (after various incidents), always bullied because i was taller and a bit overweight, at home by my mom just as much (she unloaded on me because she worked as a single parent and blamed me for being one).. I finally said enough is enough in highschool at the very end and i started speaking back (calmly and nicely, though, because i still love her despite a lifetime of emotional abuse..), begging her to treat me like a person, talk calmly to me so we can get along.. She told me how dare i ask her that, that i am worthy of no respect as a child, she's the only one who deserves any respect because she's the parent. She told me that i am disrespectful for asking for respect and that I am the problem and 'nobody will ever love me enough to have children with me'... Married with the love of my life now but still no kids and my mom gets worse by the day.. i still love her but my confidence is -70..

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Ozacoter
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sorry for that. Honestly a person like these deserves to be alone. Cut her out of your life if she hurts you.

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Jona Thiessen
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have three daughters, and I don't think a week passed when they were growing up that I didn't tell them "if I was in your grade, YOU would be my best friend- because you're awesome." Everyone needs their Mom to believe in them, but mine didn't either. I am so sorry that didn't happen for you, But if I had been in your class, I guarantee YOU would have been MY best friend, because you're awesome" Don't let anyone ever convince you otherwise.

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KT
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Holy crap, I can't believe your mom would say such an evil and cruel thing!

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Vivian Davis
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Good for you. Nobody needs someone, even family who don't treat you decently or abuse you. I know.

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DandiPandi
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's just crap parenting and a crap human being altogether 🙄

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Sue Clifford
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Words hurt more than a slap in the face and last forever. I am so sorry you had to hear those hurtful words.

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catherine todd
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Nicole, I thought my mother was bad... but yours takes the cake! Dear God Almighty. Glad she's not in your life any longer. Whew. She's got a carload of karma waiting for her. :(

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Lisa Chambers
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wow. Sorry! I thought I might be the only one who had a mom like that.

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#2

Emberrassing-Rejection-Stories

SueZieCue Report

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Alison
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wow 😳 that was a close call. Sorry to hear about the wife though being beat up. Awful to think about what happens behind closed doors

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To find out more about dealing with harsh rejection, Bored Panda reached out to Kate Mansfield, an acclaimed dating and relationship coach based in London, UK. Kate told that the way rejection psychologically affects us vary from person to person. “Rejection can have a profound or a mild effect, depending on the psychological state, the past trauma, and the personality of the person,” she explained.

“At its worst, it can cause extreme feelings of worthlessness and even depression. It can cause the person to withdraw from relationships and to stay alone. Or, to feel not good enough and low self-esteem.”

Meanwhile, people with healthy self-esteem and confidence, are usually mildly affected. This is “because they have a solid sense of self-worth already,” Kate explained.

When asked about the ways to deal with being rejected, Kate suggested working on your self-esteem and understanding that it’s nothing to do with you, and usually, it’s not personal.

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“Try to feel grateful, because the one thing worse than being rejected is to stay in a relationship with someone who doesn't really love you. That is rejection on a daily basis, and causes extreme loneliness.”

#7

Emberrassing-Rejection-Stories

HallJaneh227 Report

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WilvanderHeijden
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Let's just hope that they are able to put him behind bars for his part in the siege of the capitol.

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#8

Emberrassing-Rejection-Stories

clairewillett Report

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Joonscrab
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You just dodged a bullet lolll if he can't handle a person having an extra few pounds, then that's on him.

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#10

Emberrassing-Rejection-Stories

HombreVerde7 Report

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Catherine
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Haha this one made me laugh! Luckily, you were overqualified and clearly meant for bigger things in life

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Whatever people say, rejection hurts. Bottom line. It doesn’t matter which point of a relationship you’re at—being told "I am sorry, but" is something none of us want to hear. Emotional responses by anyone who’s experienced it are confirmed by researchers, and they range from feeling jealous to anxious and lonely.

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But since rejection has a lot to do with self-worth and self-image, oftentimes the pain of it is directly linked to how you validate yourself. Often people look for external and not internal forces to feel validated, which makes them vulnerable to setbacks. What if we simply haven't learned to love ourselves enough?

#14

Emberrassing-Rejection-Stories

linc0lnpark Report

Being rejected by someone you love can really turn even the strongest of us into emotional train wrecks. But in many cases, we tend to idealize both the person and the relationship, as we only remember good times and emotions.

Such behavior is usually unconscious, but it nevertheless doesn’t show the full picture of what you really feel hurt about.

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Interestingly, friendship rejections can often be even more painful than romantic ones. Beverly Flaxington, a life and career coach, says to remember that while a friendship’s end can be painful, it’s also normal for friends to come and go.

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On the other hand, if you still feel like you're missing that person and that friendship in your life, Lexington suggests “reaching out to see if the person wants to get together.” In fact, timing may be crucial as it gives a whole new perspective of the friendship and the people we surround ourselves with.

After some time has passed and if you find yourself missing that person and that friendship, Flaxington suggests reaching out to see if the person wants to get together. Timing is key here. Time can allow people to approach a friendship with a new perspective, she notes

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#21

Emberrassing-Rejection-Stories

MarissaFugate Report

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Sum Guy
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sometimes you need people to be tough on you because family and friends might lie to you about how good you are

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#22

Emberrassing-Rejection-Stories

woodra Report

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Dan Buczynski
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wow. Well f**k Kavanaugh and f**k your ex husband. I hope you've since found someone who appreciates a bad@$$ like you.

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#25

Emberrassing-Rejection-Stories

pixelexiq1 Report

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Lili
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I really don't understand people who pay for their not-even-spouse's education, house, cars, etc... Like, are you out of your mind?

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According to Lori Gottlieb, M.F.T., psychotherapist, "When somebody rejects us, there's a very primal piece to it, which is that it goes against everything we feel like we need for survival."

But beyond the evolutionary standpoint, our responses to rejection vary greatly as they really depend on the models in which we develop our relationships with people. Those with insecure attachment styles in contrast to secure ones are likely to experience much greater pain from rejection.

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#27

Emberrassing-Rejection-Stories

FistfulOfGrace Report

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Vic
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's not a rejection, that's cheating! He was not your boyfriend, and she definitely was not your best friend.

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#29

Emberrassing-Rejection-Stories

sarahthemoose Report

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Pungent Sauce
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Stripping is sex work, and a lot of guys have difficulty separating the fantasy woman from the actual human being. Not excusing this jackass in any way, but as in most any job it’s best to not date the customers/clientele.

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#30

Emberrassing-Rejection-Stories

Kakegurui_mash Report

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