A person very close to me, that I always thought had my back, recently told me NO twice when I was in need.  At first, I was stunned, shocked and rejected,  My heart was hurt and I could not fathom how this person who had always been my rock could reject me in my desperate time of need.

I realized I was on my own and I was the only person I could depend on.  I am forever grateful for this rejection because it has opened so many doors that I would not have ever knocked on had I not been rejected.  Because of this NO, I am writing more than ever, I am publishing articles, I have a new career path and I am pursing new endeavors every day.

The NO I received set me on a path to true independence.  Stepping out of my comfort zone, desperate to find a new direction, I decided to pound the pavement .  Thinking outside of the box has been a Godsend.  My do or die situation lead me to network with new clients who wanted my writing skills, my technical skills and excellent social media ability.

So in essence, do not feel bad or rejected when you are told NO.  It simply means it wasn’t meant to be.  All you have to do is shift your focus and learn that the one person you can 100% depend is yourself.  Most people mean well but a lot just deliver lip service when they say “please let me know if there is anything you need”, then when you call on them, they can never offer any assistance.

Life is hard and it is no joke.  But remember, you got this and you can do anything you put your mind to.  All it takes is stepping out of your comfort zone and not being afraid to try new things.

Until next time, be sure to join the Mara Prose Virtual Book Club.  We are reading Dave Eggers The Circle and it is a great book!!

Also, contact me at maraprose@icloud.com to join my Lean In Circle.  Our motto is PROSE – Protect, Relay Observe, Support and Encourage.  Our kickoff meeting is coming soon; we will be creating vision boards.  This group is geared towards supporting, uplifting and empowering women to follow their dreams and network with others. http://leanincircles.org/circle/mara-prosers