What happens when rejection isn’t a person telling you no—but life itself pushing back?

We talk a lot about rejection from others—failed pitches, book rejections, heartbreak. But what about the times when rejection comes in unexpected forms? When your body, mental health, or circumstances force you to hit pause, even when you desperately want to keep going?

Grant Faulkner is a creative leader, prolific author, and the former Executive Director of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo).