All my life, people were telling me “NO.” The word says it all. It means there are no opportunities to rise above your situation in life. It means no ability to make your life more meaningful or prosperous. It rejects your dreams and desires to make a better life for yourself, but these pessimists are not always right, especially in my case. For the last three years, I’ve been searching for a place and space to tell my story. I knocked on many doors only to be rejected. They claimed that “Your story is not so interesting, exciting, or one we find inspiring.” After two rejections from Ted Ex, I decided to take matters into my own hands. If they weren’t going to make a seat at their table for me, I would build my own table and add some chairs around it. I would create a seat at my very own table despite their objections.
I started charlynasher.com, my blog, as a place where my voice can be heard, and my life experiences can be shared. On countless occasions over the last few years, people would listen to my story and say, “your life experiences are so inspirational.”
They would suggest I do public speaking or even write a book. Unfortunately, it’s almost impossible if people of influence are unwilling to listen to motivating stories of strength and courage or see your overall worth.
Did you grow up in extreme poverty? Were you ever kicked out of school? Did you migrate to Canada or North America with no money or hopes of having a better life? Do you wish to have your own business one day? These questions are the reality of ordinary people or even immigrants who have similar dreams, regardless of where they live.
All of us have our stories, and no one is less important than the other. Life is not about how many times you fall or get kicked down, it’s about how many times you get up, crawl, walk or run. Too often, I have been tossed aside and heard the word “NO,” and that rejection is one of my greatest inspirations. I know how to take rejection and turn it into a positive experience.
Interestingly, if you do build something successful, the same people who rejected you many times before may come back and finally allow you to showcase your achievements. This turnaround doesn’t make me bitter, but rather an opportunity to demonstrate my triumphs.
I never asked for the life I was given, but it afforded me a chance to make a difference in someone’s life. I was tired of begging to be accepted to sit at tables where I would never be a welcomed guest. Sometimes, you have to regroup, rethink, and come up with a plan B.
If the cynics are unwilling to let you sit at their table, make your own table and let your voice speak for itself. Greatness can never be tamed.