Rejections Aren’t Failures—They’re a Sign You’re Still Climbing

There was supposed to be a new episode of The Movie Breakdown posted today. There were also supposed to be a few new articles—ones I’ve been promising, planning, and even partially drafting. But life has a way of throwing up storm clouds when you’re already trying to find your footing. 

Right now, I’m in the thick of it. A season of turmoil. Financial stress. Career uncertainty. A whole lot of waiting. And yes—more than a few rejections. It stings. 

You pour everything you’ve got into a pitch or a proposal. You share work you’re proud of. You send off applications that took hours to shape. And then… silence. Or a “we’re going in a different direction.” Or just the familiar ache of being passed over again. And when you’re already struggling to pay the bills, already stretching to support your family, already scraping together enough energy to try again—it doesn’t just feel like rejection. It feels like failure. 

But I’ve been reminding myself of something important lately: Rejections aren’t failures. They’re reminders. Reminders that I’m still showing up. Still putting myself out there. Still doing the vulnerable work of hoping. They’re also stepping stones. Sometimes they get you on the radar. Sometimes they give you a chance to rework, rethink, reconnect. Sometimes, if you’re lucky, they push you toward something better. 

These past few months haven’t brought me the wins I’d hoped for. But they have brought growth. 

🔹 I started therapy. 

🔹 I was diagnosed as neurodivergent, which reframed so much of my life—and explained years of internal struggle. 

🔹 I wrote a post that reached over 200,000 people and sparked over 1,000 thoughtful engagements. 

🔹 I’ve been learning new skills, testing new strategies, and discovering better ways to work—ways that honour how my brain is wired. 

It hasn’t been easy. And I’m painfully aware I’ve fallen behind on the things I’ve promised—especially to those who’ve supported my site and podcast. 

I hate missing deadlines. I hate feeling like I’m letting people down. But if you’re still here reading this, I want to say: thank you. Good things are coming. 

They just take a little longer to build when you’re also rebuilding yourself. 

 And in the meantime—if you’re looking for a writer, storyteller, or content creator who brings heart, grit, and honesty to everything he makes, I’d love to connect. Because I may be climbing, but I’m not stopping.