Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 3: Coping with rejection
• Part 2 of 3: How to be friends
• Part 3 of 3: Respecting a Girl's Personal Space
• Warnings

Accepting rejection isn't easy, but just because a girl doesn't want a romantic relationship with you doesn't mean you can't be friends. A well-known effort and perseverance will help you develop lasting friendships. It is important to understand, however, that if you agree to be friends, you are unlikely to ever be able to become romantic partners.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Coping with rejection

1. 1 Accept refusal politely. Accepting rejection is not easy, but try to be calm, especially if you want to stay friends with your girlfriend. Even if she is not an example of courtesy and courtesy, be generous and accept the refusal.
   • End the conversation with a simple phrase like "Well, see you then."
   • Next time you meet, smile and say hello to the girl.
   • Do not discuss the topic of rejection for at least some time. The girl made a decision, so it is better not to bother her with this question.
   • Never stoop to insults or threats.The girl has the right to decide with whom she wants to be romantically involved, so she does not deserve to be insulted.
2. 2 Let yourself be sad for a while. Hearing rejection is always painful, so sadness is a completely normal feeling. Don't try to suppress feelings of frustration and allow yourself not to contain your emotions for a couple of days. Then start building your confidence again.
   • Everyone needs a different time to be sad, and that's okay. If you can't let go of the situation for a long time or the depression persists, psychological problems may be the cause. In such a situation, you should contact a school psychologist or other specialist.
3. 3 Put the situation in perspective. At first, the situation always seems worse than it really is. It might seem like rejection is the end of the world, but try to think about it. How will this affect your life? Surely very insignificant.
   • Understand that rejection does not characterize you as a person. It doesn't make you a bad or unwanted partner. All your virtues are still with you. When you understand this, it will be easier for you to move on.
   SPECIALIST'S ADVICE

   

   John Keegan

   
   
   Dating Coach John Keegan is a dating coach and motivational speaker from New York City. Runs consulting firm The Awakened Lifestyle, where he uses his knowledge of dating, social dynamics and attraction mechanisms to help people find love. Teaches people and gives dating masterclasses all over the world, from Los Angeles to London and from Rio de Janeiro to Prague. His work has been featured in The New York Times, Humans of New York and Men’s Health.

   John Keegan
   Dating coach

   Our expert confirms: Unfortunately, each of us sooner or later faces rejection. It is important to learn not to succumb to the influence of negative emotions in order to love and accept yourself.

4. 4 Keep yourself busy to distract yourself. If you are in a bad mood, doing nothing will always make the situation worse. This is how you let your brain dwell on the problem. Instead, try to distract yourself. Watch movies, walk or bike and hang out with friends. Any activity that brings you joy will do.
   • It is especially helpful to do things that you do well. They build your self-confidence. For example, if you are a good basketball player, take a look at the basketball court in the park. A good game will cheer you up and give you confidence.
5. 5 Offer friendship when you have fully recovered from rejection. If you are still in pain, then you will not be able to focus on friendships and will think about the reasons for rejection and what is wrong with you. Such thoughts can lead to anger and irritation. First, you should completely bounce back and only then move on, otherwise you will only prolong your suffering.

Part 2 of 3: How to be friends

1. 1 Don't be driven by ulterior motives. First of all, you should analyze your motives. Do you really want to be friends or are you hoping for something more? Even if you still like the girl, you do not need to become friends in the hope that the friendship will develop into new feelings. Surely everything will end with another refusal when the girl finds herself a mate or rejects your aspirations again.
   • If the girl guesses her ulterior motives, then she will think twice about whether to be friends with you. Ask yourself, "Do I really want to be friends with the girl who turned me down?"
   SPECIALIST'S ADVICE

   

   John Keegan

   
   
   Dating Coach John Keegan is a dating coach and motivational speaker from New York City. Runs consulting firm The Awakened Lifestyle, where he uses his knowledge of dating, social dynamics and attraction mechanisms to help people find love. Teaches people and gives dating masterclasses all over the world, from Los Angeles to London and from Rio de Janeiro to Prague.His work has been featured in The New York Times, Humans of New York and Men’s Health.

   John Keegan
   Dating coach

   Our expert confirms: Think seriously, do you really want to be friends, or are you still hoping to win a girl's heart? If you cherish the dream of being together, then offering friendship may not be the best idea. If you are ready to forget about your romantic feelings, then friendship is quite possible.

   
   
2. 2 Communicate well with the girl. She may feel strange when meeting or talking to you shortly after rejection. Show that you are okay and move on. There is no need to be silent or timid. Talk about school, music, television, and other mundane things as you would with other friends. This will make it easier for the girl to feel comfortable and perceive you as a friend, rather than a guy she turned down. Don't let her talk you into being friends if you don't need to. Don't be afraid to reject friendships and be friends with other girls who haven't rejected you.
   • It's okay to freak out when you first meet after a rejection. Read the following article to help you manage your anxiety and have a calm conversation.
   • Start a conversation with what unites you. For example, if you are in the same class, then you can discuss the teacher or the geometry test. This will help you break the ice and show that you can communicate well.
   • Don't go back to the topic of rejection. This will inconvenience the girl and she will end the conversation.
3. 3 Find out about the girl's interests. Any friendship requires common interests. During the conversation, ask the girl about her hobbies and hobbies. You may find that you like the same group or sports team. This will give you a ready-made topic for discussion the next time you meet and understand where you can spend your time.
   • During one of the conversations, you can think of a specific group or series that you watched yesterday. Pay attention to the answer and rate the level of interest. If the girl is not interested in such a topic, then ask what she likes.
   • Learning about the girl's interests will be another point of contact and will strengthen your friendship. At the same time, it is not necessary to say that you share the girl's hobby, if this is not true. Such an attempt to please only shows your insincerity towards yourself and towards the girl.
4. 4 Chat with friends. Soon after refusal, you should not offer to meet only together. The girl may think that you are trying to trick her out on a date. Better to spend time with friends. Invite her to come with her friends. Surely this will make her feel more comfortable and you will be able to communicate with her like ordinary friends.
   • You can go to the movies, attend sports matches, play bowling and have dinner with the whole company.
   • If your friends are aware of the rejection, ask them not to raise the issue. A random phrase from one of your friends can make the girl uncomfortable and ruin the evening.
5. 5 Take your time to be alone. This may happen much later, or it may never happen at all. If the girl is uncomfortable being alone with you, then there is nothing you can do about it. This state of affairs does not prevent you from being friends.
   • If you are asking your girlfriend to spend time with just the two of you, then it is important to convince her that this is not a date. Explain that you see her as a friend.
   • The girl will surely feel more comfortable in crowded places. If you invite her to watch movies in your home, she may misinterpret the invitation.

Part 3 of 3: Respecting a Girl's Personal Space

1. 1 Don't bother. Constant calls and texts will surely make her think that you still want to be her boyfriend, so she may feel annoyed. Treat the girl the same way you treat your other friends. Do you call the other guys three times a day? Hardly. Remember that an ordinary attitude is a chance to be friends.
   • There is no one rule about the frequency of calls and messages, so it all depends on the situation. Pay attention to her answers so as not to overdo it. If they consist of one word, they rarely come and generally speak mainly you, then the girl is not interested so much in correspondence with you. Try to reduce the number of messages.
   • If she bluntly says that you write to her too often, then take her words seriously.
2. 2 Respect boundaries in conversations. There are a number of topics that should not be touched upon in conversations with a girl: do not discuss her personal life, partners, the fact of refusal to you and other romantic issues. Only talk about safe topics.
   • Of course, there is no need to leave the conversation if the girl herself raises such a question. Let her take the first step and show that she is comfortable discussing more serious issues with you. But until then, do not try to overstep the boundaries of what is permissible, so as not to cause inconvenience to her.
3. 3 Respect the girl's romance. It will be difficult for you to see her with another guy, but you need to accept the situation. You are not romantic partners, so her personal life does not concern you in any way. Such disrespect will be a manifestation of rudeness towards the girl and her partner.
   • There is no need to insult the girl's partner and compare yourself to him. It is better not to bring up this topic at all on your own initiative, otherwise the conversation may enter inappropriate territory.
   • Sometimes people are less likely to interact with friends of the opposite sex when they are in a relationship. It's not always easy to accept, but it happens regularly, so the girl's decisions should be respected. You don't need to get bored if she distanced herself from you when she started dating another guy. If you become very close friends, but the girl still stopped communicating with you, then we can say that you are disappointed with this development of events. If you're just friends, don't give the situation too much importance.
   • Don't try to flirt with a girl again if you know she is in a relationship. It is inappropriate after a rejection and extremely disrespectful towards her partner.
4. 4 Express romantic affection in the future only in response to the girl's interest. Sometimes, after some time of friendship, a girl may develop a romantic interest in you. If this happened, and you still feel sympathy, then you can only rejoice. In this case, you do not need to court the girl again only on your own initiative, otherwise you can destroy the friendship for which you put so much effort.

Warnings

• There is no need to postpone your personal life for later in the hope that over time the girl will respond to your sympathy. This may never happen, and you risk losing your potential happiness.
• If the girl realizes that you are sympathetic, she may start asking you for favors. Don't ever let it take advantage of you. Do only what you would do for a friend.
• If you are very depressed, then it is better to seek help from a specialist.