Looking back now, I understand that those two years were not wasted time — they were the crucible that forged a version of myself I wouldn’t have met otherwise. Every unanswered email, every polite rejection, every door that closed forced me to build a deeper well of patience and grit.
The job I eventually landed wasn’t just the end of a search; it was the start of a new chapter with a hard-earned foundation. I walked into my first day not just as an employee, but as someone who had fought to be there — someone who knew the value of persistence when the outcome is uncertain.
The truth is, rejection will never stop hurting. But I’ve learned it doesn’t get to be the author of my story. Sometimes, all it takes is one “yes” to rewrite years of “no.” And often, the courage to keep searching for that “yes” is the real victory.
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