Shows / My Rejection Story
My Rejection Story
In exclusive interviews, bestselling authors like Tina Wells, Kristen Butler, Jason VanRuler, and Neil Patel share how they navigated the toughest periods of their personal and professional lives, and how this shaped the success they now experience today. Studies show that the stories we tell ourselves about rejection influence whether these failures fuel our ambition and propel us forward, or stifle our growth and hold us back. If your rejection story is holding you back, it is time for a…
Episodes
My Rejection StoryThe One Habit That Kills Friendships - Lisa Hurley on Community and Autism
What if rejection resilience isn't a skill built inside your own head, but a cushion other people hold for you? Alice is joined by Lisa Hurley — Caribbean…
My Rejection StoryDr. Jessica Zucker on The Psychology of Grief and Self-Rejection: Life After a 16-Week Miscarriage
What if coping with rejection is less about surviving the loss and more about surviving what you decide the loss says about you? Alice is joined by Dr. Jessica…
My Rejection StoryThe Privilege of being White-Passing — Lena Derhally on Rejection and her Christian Palestinian Identity
This episode discusses genocide, war, racism, death threats. Listener discretion advised. What if the rejection that cuts deepest isn't a stranger's hatred —…
My Rejection StoryWhy Situationships Matter: Love Addiction, No-Contact & Letting Go — Dr. Cortney Warren
What if the person you can't stop craving after a breakup isn't a lost love — but a drug you're still detoxing from? Alice is joined by Dr. Cortney Warren —…
My Rejection StoryTiffany Yu on Disability Rejection, The Exclusion Effect, and Turning Exclusion into a Redemption Journey
What if the deepest rejection isn't one loud "no," but the quiet ones that pile up until you stop noticing them? Alice is joined by Tiffany Yu — CEO and…
My Rejection StoryWhy Losing a Friend Hurts More Than a Breakup with Friendship Psychologist Dr. Kimberly Horn
What if the loneliest rejection isn't losing a partner but losing a friend? Alice Draper is joined by Dr. Kimberly Horn, internationally recognized research…
My Rejection StoryStop Chasing Certainty: A Neuroscientist's Case for Curiosity Over Control with Anne-Laure Le Cunff
What if the plan you're clinging to for safety is the very thing keeping you stuck? Alice is joined by Anne-Laure Le Cunff — neuroscientist, founder of the…
My Rejection StoryWhy Success Doesn't End Rejection — It Amplifies It
What if the first person to reject you and the hardest one to recover from, was you? Alice is joined by Selena Rezvani, Wall Street Journal bestselling author…
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How to Stop People-Pleasing as someone with ADHD and RSD
This episode discusses ADHD, rejection sensitivity, and mental health. It is educational and not a substitute for professional care. What if being "too nice"…
- My Rejection Story
Is People Pleasing Common in ADHD?
What if saying "no worries" a thousand times was never politeness, but a survival strategy your brain built to dodge rejection? Alice wants the answer to be…
My Rejection StoryThe Ellsberg Paradox and Why It Is Kinder To Reject Someone
What if the kindest thing you can do for someone is reject them clearly, and the cruelest thing is to keep them hoping? In this solo episode, recorded from a…
My Rejection StorySteve Magness: Rejected by Every Agent, He Sold 80K Copies — A Performance Scientist's Guide To Rejection
What if the spirit of self-sabotage isn't weakness at all, but a quiet strategy to make sure a loss never truly feels yours? Alice is joined by Steve Magness —…
My Rejection Story“The First Person Who Rejects Your Book Is You” with Non-fiction Book Coach Stacy Ennis
What if the first person to reject your book isn't a publisher — it's you? Alice is joined by Stacy Ennis — number-one bestselling author, founder of the…
My Rejection Story“I Wanted to Live”—Racial Trauma, Alcoholism, & Coming Home to Herself, with Sabrina Pace-Humphreys
What if the rejection that shapes you most isn't the one the world hands you — it's the one you learn to hand yourself? Alice is joined by Sabrina…
My Rejection Story100 Rejections Later: How I Learned to Pitch
What if the rejection you're dreading isn't the editorial rejection — it's the pitch you never bothered to fix? In this solo episode of My Rejection Story…
My Rejection StoryListener Favorite: Jesse J. Anderson on ADHD and Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria
Why does ADHD make rejection feel like physical pain in your chest? Why can a sharp comment, a missed look, or a workplace layoff trigger something that feels…
My Rejection Story“I Hunted Down David Dobrik in an Airport. Here’s What He Said”, with Jude Sack
What if the worst rejection isn’t the one someone gives you — it’s the one you give yourself? Alice is joined by Jude Sack — magician since age four, Yale…
My Rejection StoryBuilding Rejection Resilience Through Psychology and Strategy, with Dr. MH Pelletier
Why does one rejection have the power to override dozens of wins? Why does your brain cling to the time you were told you're not good enough — and quietly use…
My Rejection StoryNavigating Transgender Family Rejection & Romantic Rejection, with Kenny Ethan Jones
What does it cost a child to grow up knowing who they are might be enough to lose their family? And when family rejection is the backdrop of your adolescence…
My Rejection StoryLate-Diagnosis ADHD & Rejection Sensitivity as a Black Woman, with Dari Crawford
Why does spending a lifetime wondering what is wrong with you feel more personal than a medical oversight — why does it feel like confirmation? And what…
My Rejection StoryAnne-Laure LeCunff: Overcoming Negativity Bias Through Tiny Experiments
Why does one rejection have the power to override dozens of wins? Why does your brain cling to the time you were told you're not good enough — and quietly use…
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How Abandonment Issues Can Contribute to Fear of Rejection, with Dr. Carol Chu-Peralto
Why does rejection sometimes feel bigger than the moment itself? Why can a missed text, a declined invitation, or a breakup trigger something that feels far…
My Rejection StoryListener Favorite: Guy Winch on How to Heal From Romantic Rejection
Why does heartbreak hurt so much? According to psychologist and bestselling author Guy Winch, it’s not just emotional—it’s biological. Heartbreak hijacks your…
My Rejection StoryListener Favorite: Arielle Estoria on The Human Need for Belonging & Unfolding
What if the fear of rejection is actually a fear of being fully seen? In this poetic and soul-searching episode, author and spoken word artist Arielle Estoria…
My Rejection StoryHow to Deal with Book Publishing Rejection, & Tips for Landing the Book Deal with Allison Lane
Why does book rejection feel so personal—so final? Why does a book rejection letter have the power to stall a project for years, even when the idea still…
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What is Family Estrangement? (Brooklyn Beckham Mess & More)
What does it actually mean when someone cuts off their family — and why does family estrangement provoke such intense reactions from the outside world? In this…
My Rejection StoryWhy Are We So Afraid of Rejection? A Survival-Based Exploration from an Evolution Expert
Why does rejection feel so threatening—sometimes even more destabilizing than physical danger? Why does losing approval, status, or belonging shake our…
My Rejection StoryTracy Otsuka: How to Overcome Learned Helplessness with ADHD
In this episode, ADHD thought leader, author, and host of the Tracy Otsuka podcast joins Alice for a conversation about identity, rejection, and the quiet…
My Rejection StoryWhy Death is the Ultimate Motivator, with Jodi Wellman
In this powerful mini replay, positive psychology practitioner and author Jodi Wellman joins Alice for a conversation about mortality, motivation, and the…
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Why Rejection Hurts So Much — And How To Recover
Why does rejection hurt so intensely — even when the relationship was brief, online, or never fully real? Why do some rejections destabilize your entire sense…
My Rejection StoryLoneliness in Dubai, Making Friends as an Adult, and Life as an Expat, featuring Afshan Nasseri
In this episode, multicultural marketing strategist and founder of aam creative, Afshan Nasseri, joins Alice to unpack a quietly growing crisis among expats…
My Rejection StoryHow to Negotiate with a Narcissist in Divorce, featuring Lisa Johnson
In this episode, high-conflict divorce strategist and advocate Lisa Johnson joins Alice to unpack one of the most overwhelming and destabilizing experiences…
My Rejection StoryNarcissism Doctor: What Happens When You Reject A Narcissist (featuring Dr. Sterlin Mosely)
In this episode, human relations professor and author Dr. Sterlin Mosley joins Alice to break down one of the most confusing and destabilizing experiences…
My Rejection StoryWhitney Goodman: How To Deal With Toxic Positivity
In this mini replay episode, therapist and bestselling author Whitney Goodman joins Alice for an unflinchingly honest conversation about toxic positivity —…
My Rejection StoryEva Langston: "My Novel Died On Submission" — Publisher Rejection, Landing a Book Agent, & Fostering a Writing Community
In this episode, novelist and writing instructor Eva Langston joins Alice to break open one of the most under-discussed truths in publishing: sometimes your…
My Rejection StoryFrom Lawyer to Dancer & Speaker: Kim Bolourtchi on Strategic Unruliness
In this episode, keynote speaker and former litigator Kim Bolourtchi joins Alice to unpack what happens when following all the rules still leaves you feeling…
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Top ADHD Creators: Why is Self-Promotion So Hard with ADHD?
In this episode, I bring together four of the smartest, funniest, most relatable ADHD creators I know to unpack one of the trickiest topics in business…
My Rejection StoryTara Jaye Frank: Leaving A Marriage, Learning Through Publisher’s Rejection, & The Helper’s Dilemma
In this episode, bestselling author and former Hallmark executive Tara Jaye Frank joins Alice to talk about the messy, courageous process of letting go—of…
My Rejection StoryJamie Varon on Delayed Gratification versus Instant Gratification & How To Detach From Results
What if success takes longer than expected? In this reflective and empowering episode, writer and creative entrepreneur Jamie Varon joins My Rejection Story to…
My Rejection StoryArielle Estoria on The Human Need for Belonging & Unfolding
What if the fear of rejection is actually a fear of being fully seen? In this poetic and soul-searching episode, author and spoken word artist Arielle Estoria…
My Rejection StoryMarques Ogden on Life After NFL, Identity Loss, Losing a $25M Construction Biz, & More
What happens when the dream ends and you're left with nothing? In this raw and powerful episode of My Rejection Story, former NFL player turned motivational…
My Rejection StoryDr. Amanda Crowell: The “Great Work” Psychologist & How Defensive Failure Is Getting In The Way
Ever heard of defensive failure? What about productive failure? In this deeply honest and psychologically rich episode, cognitive psychologist and bestselling…
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Alice Draper: How to Cope With Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria
What if the thing that hurts the most isn’t rejection itself, but how your brain processes it? In this emotionally resonant solo episode, host Alice Draper…
My Rejection StoryJessica Zweig: "It Was More Painful To Stay!" Walking Away From A Successful Business To Find Alignment
What happens when success becomes a prison? In this candid and soul-baring episode, bestselling author and branding expert Jessica Zweig opens up about the…
My Rejection StoryMeredith Carder: ADHD Masking Burnout & When Masking Can Help
In this short and powerful replay, ADHD coach, creator, and author Meredith Carder explains why masking happens, what ADHD masking symptoms look like, and how…
My Rejection StoryChristine Platt: Reinvention, Collective Covid-19 Grief, & Redefining Selfishness
Christine Platt boldly embraces the power of less. She has written more than two dozen books, and spent more than 20 years advocating for social justice and…
- My Rejection Story
Alice Draper: Messy Activism, Jenna Kutcher Speaking Up, & More
This episode is personal, vulnerable, and messy — for a reason. Alice reflects on the fear of saying the wrong thing, the rejection that often follows speaking…
My Rejection StoryKatie Horwitch: "Lonely Is Love with Nowhere to Go" — Navigating Identity, Eating Disorders, & More
Your loneliness isn't weakness, it's love without a home. In this raw and reflective episode, writer and mindset coach Katie Horwitch joins Alice to explore…
My Rejection StoryGuy Winch On The Science Of Why You NEED To Unfollow Your Ex
Heartbreak doesn’t just feel like withdrawal. It is withdrawal. In this short, powerful replay, psychologist and author Guy Winch explains why breakups hurt so…
My Rejection StoryJesse J. Anderson: "I Would Blow Up" — RSD & ADHD in Life, Marriage, & Friendships
What if every tiny criticism (real or imagined) felt like a full-body betrayal? In this validating and deeply personal episode, ADHD educator and author Jesse…
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Alice Draper: I Am Still Terrified Of Friendship Rejection. Here's How I Cope.
Why do we still fear being left out, even in safe, loving friendships? In this solo episode, Alice opens up about a vivid dream that left her in tears and the…
My Rejection StoryMarina Iakovleva: "Buzzfeed Stole My Idea And Went Viral", Growing To 675K+ Subscribers, Dating Abroad, + More
What would you do if a media giant stole your idea—and then went viral with it? In this deeply personal and surprisingly funny episode, Alice sits down with…
My Rejection StoryTracy Otsuka: "ADHDers feel more emotion" & the Brain Science of Rejection
Why does criticism feel like a punch to the gut when you have ADHD? And why do so many women with ADHD go undiagnosed for decades? In this bold and eye-opening…
My Rejection StoryJason Silver: Crashing A Startup & The Science of Enjoyment at Work
What if success wasn't the reward for grinding through work—but the result of actually enjoying it? In this candid and deeply insightful episode, multi-time…
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Alice Draper: Uncertainty Is a Portal, Not a Punishment
Uncertainty can feel like standing on the edge of a cliff, waiting for instructions that never arrive. In this solo episode, Alice reflects on her early career…
My Rejection StoryMY BEST FRIEND: On Burnout, People-Pleasing, Suicide And Reinvention
with Senamile Zungu In this episode, Alice sits down with her best friend Senamile Zungu for the most personal conversation ever recorded on My Rejection…
My Rejection StoryJodi Wellman: Death Is the Best Motivator You’re Not Using
We all know we’re going to die. So why do we live like we have unlimited time? In this episode, author and life design coach Jodi Wellman joins Alice to talk…
My Rejection StoryNicole Kalil: I Was Promoted And I Was Miserable. I Had to Rethink Everything.
What happens when you reach the next level—and feel worse, not better? In this episode, confidence coach and podcast host Nicole Kalil shares the story of…
My Rejection StoryConfidence Expert: “Poop Soup” and the Pain of Not Knowing What's Next
What happens when everything you’ve worked for starts to feel misaligned—but you’re too successful to quit and too scared to stay? In this episode, Kelli…
My Rejection StoryIman Hariri-Kia: On Rewriting the Shame Teen Magazines Sold Us
Why did so many of us grow up believing we were too loud, too hairy, too much? In this episode, journalist, author, and personal essayist Iman Hariri-Kia joins…