Not My Door

Last updated on July 13, 2025

Let’s talk about one of the most dreaded words in the English language: No.

Don’t you just hate being told no?

Or do you?

Because I’ve come to believe that “no” is one of the most misunderstood, misjudged, and emotionally loaded words we ever encounter.

Rejection is subjective, isn’t it? When we really want something and we hear “no,” it can feel like a punch to the gut. Like the universe (or someone in it) is telling us that we aren’t good enough, ready enough, shiny enough, worthy enough.

But if we’re lukewarm about something, that same no suddenly becomes a sign. Ahh, yes. Confirmation. It wasn’t meant to be.

And if it’s something we didn’t want in the first place? That no feels like freedom. Like a permission slip we didn’t want to write ourselves.

Isn’t that wild? The word doesn’t change. But our perception of it does.

I’ve been living in that space lately. A lot of “no.”

I’ve been putting myself out there again. Reaching out to speak on more stages, to share my message of healing, presence, and power. I’ve thrown my hat in the ring more times than I can count these past few months.

And the responses?

Well… they’ve been pretty unanimous: No thank you. Not this time. Not the right fit. We’ll keep you in mind.

Old me? She would have crumbled.

There was a time in my life when rejection felt personal. Like a downgrade on my value. Like proof that I wasn’t as powerful or needed or relevant as I had hoped. One no could send me into a spiral. Several no’s in a row? That would have meant retreat.

But not anymore.

Now? I celebrate the no.

Not in a fake-it-til-you-make-it kind of way. But in a thank-you-for-the-direction kind of way.

Because here’s what I’ve learned:

No isn’t rejection. It’s redirection.

I don’t take it as a statement about my worth. I take it as a message about my path.

I know what I bring to a stage. I know what I bring to a room. I know how deeply I can connect with a soul that’s struggling to find hope again. And I also know that if I knock on a door and it doesn’t open, it’s simply not my door.

I don’t want to force myself into rooms where I have to shrink to fit. I don’t want to persuade people to make space for me. I want to walk through doors that swing open with a sense of welcome. Of alignment. Of “We’ve been waiting for you.”

And until that door opens, I’ll keep knocking. Not because I’m desperate, but because I’m clear.

So many of us carry old stories around rejection. We internalize “no” as evidence that we should stop, give up, or lower our expectations. But what if we let it be what it really is?

Information.

Nothing more. Nothing less.

Information that tells you: Not here. Not now. Not this.

And that’s okay.

Because when you know who you are— When you know what you carry— When you’ve spent time understanding your gifts, your voice, your light—

You realize something powerful:

Rejection has nothing to do with value.

It has everything to do with direction.

So the next time you hear a no, I hope you pause. I hope you breathe. I hope you remember that you are not being denied, diminished, or devalued. You are being redirected.

Back to alignment. Back to purpose. Back to your real door.

Because your “yes” isn’t gone. It’s just elsewhere.

So keep knocking. Keep showing up. Keep trusting.

And whatever you do, don’t let two little letters change your trajectory.

Be well,

Leslie

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