Belonging is one of our most basic human needs — but what if the biggest thing standing in the way of feeling like you belong isn’t other people… it’s you?

In this episode, I break down why rejection feels so painful, how micro-rejections accumulate over time, and why so many of us unconsciously reject ourselves before anyone else ever gets the chance to. We explore how rejection is an emotion (not a circumstance), how your brain tries to keep you “safe” by shrinking your life, and what it actually takes to rebuild your capacity for connection.

This is a powerful, compassionate conversation about emotional safety, self-belonging, and learning how to stop turning away from yourself — even when your nervous system wants to hide.

In This Episode, We Cover:

1. Why belonging is a feeling, not something other people give you
2. The difference between direct rejection and micro-rejections
3. How rejection sensitivity builds quietly over time
4. Why avoiding rejection leads to a smaller, lonelier life
5. What it means to reject yourself in advance (and how it shows up)
6. How your brain uses pre-rejection as a protection strategy
7. A simple, practical way to interrupt self-rejection in real time
8. Why you don’t need to “heal everything” to move forward
9. How to build internal belonging: I am lovable. I belong.

Key Takeaway

If you want to feel more connected, you have to stop abandoning yourself first. Belonging begins internally — and it’s a skill you can practice, moment by moment.

Mentioned in This Episode

1. The Love Yourself No Matter What coaching method
2. Real-life application vs. theory-based mindset work
3. Nervous system safety, emotional processing, and self-trust

Work With Me

If this episode resonated and you want support applying this work to your real life, I’d love to talk with you.

I currently have space in my 1:1 coaching practice.

Book a discovery call here:

👉 https://amandahess.ca/book-a-call

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I’ll see you next week. 💛