In this section you are able to watch and listening to our creation and sharing of 30 videos clips of different rejection stories 10 from Estonia, 10 from Italy and 10 from Lithuania.
| Laura Põldvere | singer /artist |
Laura is an Estonian singer. Laura’s first memories of rejection began when she was a child. Her teachers told her that her voice wasn’t good enough on the stage, but as an actress she was okay. Laura said that rejection is very powerful, and it takes away all your strength, so it’s important to learn how to deal with it. She says she is forever learning and enjoys her experiences along the way. Luckily for Laura, she had supportive parents to help her with her struggles. Laura also mentioned that not enough people take responsibility for their actions, which is something that is needed in our society and a large contributing factor with how we handle rejection in life.
“Project “Rejection stories” is funded under the Erasmus+ programme”
“The content does not necessarily reflect the official opinion or the position of the European Commission”
| Hain Hoppe | guitarrist / musician |
Hain is an Estonian musician. He says he has experienced rejection in all areas of his life. Some of the most memorable ones have come from music career where he realized that his genre of music is not the most favourable amongst audiences, and he too struggled with never feeling accepted. His mother questioned his dream of becoming a musician since he grew up in a hyper-masculine home. He pursued his dreams of being a musician despite his setbacks. Hain hopes that his story will reach others who are struggling with the same issues of acceptance.
“Project “Rejection stories” is funded under the Erasmus+ programme”
“The content does not necessarily reflect the official opinion or the position of the European Commission”
| Kristin Kalnapenk | singer / musician |
Kristin is an Estonian singer. At first, she applied to BFM but was not accepted. Feelings of self worth and negative emotions that come with rejection were felt for quite some time. She didn’t let this stop her. Kristin applied for a different musical school where she was able to learn a lot about self development and there she dealt with a lot of sadness. She changed her who routine, from her fitness and nutrition to her way of thinking, that allowed her to pursue her singing career and fight through rejection. Kristin wanted to make her own experiences in life, allowing her to make her mistakes along the way.
“Project “Rejection stories” is funded under the Erasmus+ programme”
“The content does not necessarily reflect the official opinion or the position of the European Commission”
| Tiiu Kaarlõp | singer, freelancer |
Tiiu is an Estonian singer. From her younger years, she also wanted to be part of the Estonian singing contest. She auditioned multiple times, with only one time being accepted. She started to realize that her music genre wasn’t suited for everyone and her chances of being in the song contest were limited to personal taste from the judges. Tiiu needed support from her friends and family to validate her choices since her mother wanted a different lifestyle for her. Tiiu recognizes that rejection can be very scary as a child, but it is something that everyone can work through. She also wanted to point out that you can’t believe everything on social media because it is just a façade.
“Project “Rejection stories” is funded under the Erasmus+ programme”
“The content does not necessarily reflect the official opinion or the position of the European Commission”
| Epp Adler | self-mastery coach and sense maker |
Epp is a local Estonian self mastery coach. She first felt rejection by her brother, who did not accept her into the family. This made Epp question her self worth throughout childhood and throughout her life. She now works with people who struggle with similar situations. She helps them to find their worth again. Epp hopes that her message will reach others who may feel alone in their situation. Once her story reaches people who are in need, she feels she’s done her job.
“Project “Rejection stories” is funded under the Erasmus+ programme”
“The content does not necessarily reflect the official opinion or the position of the European Commission”
| Rodrigo Chavero | Choreographer |
Rodrigo is an Argentinian dancer living and working in Estonia. His first memory of rejection came at a young age where he says his mother did not approve of his sexuality. When Rodrigo expressed his love for the creative arts, his mother didn’t believe that art was a job, or very masculine. Rodrigo says that it is very important to follow your inner energy. He wants to spread a helpful message that making progress in life is more important than finishing everything, because rejection comes in all forms.
“Project “Rejection stories” is funded under the Erasmus+ programme”
“The content does not necessarily reflect the official opinion or the position of the European Commission”
| Maarit Olbri | Choreographer, dancer |
Maarit is an Estonian dancer and choreographer. Maarit knew she always wanted to be the centre of attention. She knew that her potential to be a dancer was limited because she wasn’t as flexible as other dancers because she never trained like them as a child. She felt that instead of other people rejecting her, it was her own body that prevented her from fulfilling her dreams. She attempted a singing career, but soon realized it was not the path for her. Maarit believes in the power of manifestation, which she uses daily to help her accomplish her goals. She sees rejection as both positive and negative, and it’s important to learn from each interaction.
“Project “Rejection stories” is funded under the Erasmus+ programme”
“The content does not necessarily reflect the official opinion or the position of the European Commission”
| Lauri Linamägi | actor /model |
Lauri is an Estonian actor. He stated that he never really felt any rejection in his life until he was older and an adult. At this time he had started acting. Lauri says that rejection teaches you how to fight for life and how to keep moving forward. He was able to reframe how he looks at rejection in his life and viewed these instances at the loss of others, and not necessarily himself. Lauri says that he wants the youth to know to keep pushing and don’t give up even though one person may reject you.
“Project “Rejection stories” is funded under the Erasmus+ programme”
“The content does not necessarily reflect the official opinion or the position of the European Commission”
| Kaur Tootsi | musician |
Kaur is an Estonian musician. He started his classical instrument career as a child. At a time when his friends were out playing sports, he was rehearsing for shows. He acknowledges that they grew up in different worlds, and being teased for taking trombone lessons was part of this separation. He often felt badly about himself and his struggles with acceptance. He tried to blend both of his worlds together. This situation taught him how to deal with emotions that often come with feelings of rejection.
“Project “Rejection stories” is funded under the Erasmus+ programme”
“The content does not necessarily reflect the official opinion or the position of the European Commission”
| Mihkel Kaevats | poet, translator, essayist |
Mihkel is an Estonian poet. From a child, he was teased and labeled as a nerd. His earliest memories of rejection were from a memory in his childhood when he wasn’t included in an activity during a birthday party. It was hard for Mihkel to let go of this feeling, but he decided that he wasn’t going to let words him anymore. He says that if you personally don’t believe in something, then the other people who try to hurt you, don’t hold any power over you. He says that rejection is inevitable, but it doesn’t have to be scary.
“Project “Rejection stories” is funded under the Erasmus+ programme”
“The content does not necessarily reflect the official opinion or the position of the European Commission”
The project funding agreement number: 2020-1-LT02-KA227-YOU-007307
“Project “Rejection stories” is funded under the Erasmus+ programme”
“The content does not necessarily reflect the official opinion or the position of the European Commission”