"You have a great look, but you aren't what we are looking for right now."

"Sorry, but we went with someone else."

"We regret to inform you..."

"Please feel free to apply for us once again!"

"No."

These are just a few examples of rejection that we have faced. Rejection sucks, but it's a part of life. It shapes us. You either let rejection hold you back, or use it as a motivator to keep trying.

In my career, I am constantly facing rejection. ALL THE TIME. People see all the times I book a gig, but they don't see all the times I have been rejected. On a weekly basis, I apply to about 40 castings. If I hear back from 5 of them I am lucky, and that doesn't even guarantee that I get the roles! When I told my parents I was looking to get into the entertainment industry, they were scared I wasn't going to take the rejection well. To be honest, I was nervous about how I was going to take it as well. But, through all my years of rejection, there has never been a time where I felt the desire to give up. Every rejection I received has given me a little more push to do better. To show them what they missed out on. My boyfriend once told me, "You didn't get this opportunity because it wasn't meant for you. Soon enough that opportunity will come, and you will see why other things haven't worked out." I truly believe that message, and whenever I am stressed and feeling down about myself, I think back to what he said, and I keep persevering.

I have not reached the peak of success in which I wish to achieve, but I read up on stories of actors and actresses that I look up to, and I read about how they got into the industry. Almost every single person I read about talks about how many times he/she had been rejected before the right person came along and changed their life. It didn't happen overnight, and they never gave up. It is stories like that that keep me going.

Think about your favorite athlete. When they started at the age of 6 or so, do you think they were automatically pro material? Of course not. It took years and years to hone their craft. It took sacrifice, it took guts, it took so much to get them to where they are today.

This messages applies to those just graduating college. You just got your degree, and I know you are so eager to get your career started. You have hopes and dreams of what you wish to be. Just remember, it doesn't happen over night. You have to start from the bottom and work your way to the top. Apply for as many jobs as you can. Eventually you WILL get a job. Give it time. When you get a job in the field you majored in, be prepared to start from the bottom, doing things you don't necessarily want to do. Learn from your superiors. Take in every experience. Trust me, everything that you go through happens for a reason. Learn and grow. Everyone has to start somewhere.

The point of this article is to let my readers know: rejection is not the end of the road for you, it is just the beginning.