Since the global pandemic began back in 2020, there has been much more of a focus on how important it is to look after one’s mental health— and this still very much applies now that we have come out of the pandemic, especially as many are back in the office full time and returning to “normal.”
One of the things that I always emphasize to my clients, is the importance of a strategy. One always needs a strategy whether they are planning their career, a big proposal, or in my case, a film festival strategy. In my work, the golden rule is to always create the right type of festival strategy for a film so that the filmmaker doesn’t submit to the wrong festivals and get a barrage of rejection letters that can affect their mental health, to the point where it can cause a downward spiral into depression, anxiety, and negativity.
For example, nearly all of the talented filmmakers I work with want to aim high and submit to the big, top tier film festivals, which are extremely competitive. This is a totally normal goal. Everyone has free will, so even when I advise filmmakers who don’t have a film that’s suitable for these kinds of festivals not to submit, they can always do what a client of mine calls ‘submit and see’ just in case it surpasses the 1% chance of getting in, and also, for fun. The above is the type of approach to take only if you are emotionally detached from your film and you can accept and trust in the right type of festival strategy for it. If you are still precious about it, that’s when the mental health gremlins can creep in and you can begin to take rejection personally.
When you receive a rejection letter or e-mail, it can be natural to automatically assume the worse-case scenario. It is very important to feel the feelings and let the negative emotions pass through your system, so that they don’t remain trapped within your system and turn into resentment, which can prevent you from moving forward.
Once these feelings have passed through you, you’ll now be able to reframe and view the rejection positively and use it in the following ways. These three key approaches below will help you to develop an effective strategy.
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An Opportunity For Personal Growth.
Say another applicant won the promotion or got selected for something over you, you have the opportunity to look at it from a self-improvement lens. You can refine your skills, or even acquire new ones— and this newfound knowledge can make you more competitive and sought after in the job market. For example, taking a course to expand and deepen your knowledge about a particular topic, researching a relevant topic online, or even attending more events to learn more about your industry and make new connections.
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Develop Resilience
Rejection can help you become stronger by building emotional resilience as you bounce back from setbacks and face future challenges with increased strength. A highly recommended technique that you could use to do this is would be EFT – Emotional Freedom Technique. This is an alternative treatment to heal physical pain and emotional distress. It’s also referred to as ‘tapping’. Therapists who use this technique believe tapping the body can create a balance in your energy system and treat pain. EFT style tapping has been used to treat anxiety and depression. EFT focuses on the meridian points – or in other words, energy hot spots — to restore balance to your body’s energy.
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Seek Constructive Feedback
Requesting constructive feedback from your peers and superiors offers you the opportunity to open doors to future prospects. Don’t be scared or fearful to ask for the feedback, as what they have to say can help you grow. It could also be a catalyst to help you take the next step within your career and also, your personal life. It could even take you in a new and more exciting direction, one that otherwise wouldn’t have been possible without constructive feedback.
After executing all of the above, you will likely feel more confident to purse career opportunities that align more closely with your passions, values, and long-term goals.
Reframing the way you perceive a rejection can make all the difference. Because in reality, no just means not yet.
About the Author:
Dr. Rebekah Louisa Smith is an award-winning film festival strategist and founder of The Film Festival Doctor. She is the author of Born to Do It: Becoming the Leader of a Business Niche Using Powerful Spiritual Techniques and several e-books, including The Film Festival Doctor’s Guide to Navigating the Festival Circuit and Film Festivals & Looking After Your Mental Health.
