As a parent of several children, there are times when I have to say No to my children. As an employee, there are times when I have to say No to my boss. As a child, there are times when I had to say No to my parents. As an individual, there are times when I have to say No to my friends or colleagues.

After all, it’s about our boundaries.

Now, imagine if our role is reversed. We might get our feeling hurt when others say No to us. When someone says No to us, we might interpret it as our failure, or we might take it as rejection.

While it is true that No is often about boundaries, there are other occasions when No is about preference. For example, you choose No when someone like you and you don’t reciprocate their feeling, no matter how beautiful, handsome, or attractive that person is. When you apply for a job, the prospective employer may say No because you are not the right match or you don’t have the qualification for that job.

Some may say, “don’t take no as an answer, be persistent.” Yes, you can be persistent, but you must learn to accept No graciously in certain circumstances. If you want people to respect your boundaries, you must also respect others’ boundaries.

Just like everything else, the skill to accept No graciously takes practice. The faster you learn to accept it, the easier it is for you to learn acceptance. Many success stories started from the word No. You learn to rely on your strength to find creative solutions to survive.

The most valuable lesson a child can learn early on is accepting No as an answer. They will grow up to be as a person who can tolerate other people’s perspectives and opinions. They will grow up to be a person who can accept disappointment and move on.

Now, how do you get over the disappointment?

Acknowledge the emotion. — It’s okay to say I am disappointed because of this and that. You can write down your feeling in a journal or scream out loud.

Know that it will pass. — Knowing that the emotion will pass can help you move on faster. Clinging to the emotion or thinking that you can change the outcome can prolong the suffering or disappointment.

It’s not about you. — Understanding that it is not about you will help you move forward. You have feelings. They also have feelings. Some people like Mexican food, others like Italian food, but it does not mean that one is better than the other. If your path in life is not aligned, it is okay to go separate ways to open up new experiences.

Stop the What If scenario. — Stop playing the what-if scenario in your head. Stop thinking that you can change the other person or expect the other person to agree with you. Accept that certain things will have the same outcome no matter what you do or do not do.

Allow time to recover. — Allow time to bounce back from your disappointment. Spend time with yourself and take care of yourself.

Try positive affirmations. — Read positive affirmations to uplift your soul. When you eat good food, your body will thank you. When you feed your thought good affirmation, your heart and thought will thank you.

Move forward. Don’t look back — Tell yourselves it’s okay to move forward. Please look forward to your new situation. Make new friends, go to new places, and try different food.

Have a wonderful weekend!!