New Kids on the Block, the iconic boy band, returns with their latest single “Kids” after an 11-year hiatus, promising fans a nostalgic yet fresh musical experience.

Global (06 March 2024) – New Kids on the Block (NKOTB) fans, rejoice! After an 11-year wait, the iconic boy band from Dorchester, Massachusetts, has announced their return with a brand new album titled “Still Kids,” set to hit the shelves on May 17th.

If you’ve been missing NKOTB’s infectious beats and harmonious tunes, get ready to be thrilled because the wait is finally over!

With a career spanning decades, New Kids on the Block has solidified their place in music history as one of the most influential boy bands of all time. Comprising Jonathan and Jordan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, and Danny Wood, NKOTB captured the hearts of millions with their chart-topping hits and electrifying performances.

The excitement surrounding the upcoming album has skyrocketed since the group dropped their lead single, “Kids” 10 hours ago, offering fans a taste of what’s to come.

In a recent statement, Donnie Wahlberg, who co-wrote seven tracks on the album, expressed the group’s enthusiasm for their latest musical endeavour. “It’s the most mature album we’ve ever made,” Wahlberg shared. “Yet it’s the most fun and most comfortable album we’ve ever made.”

The announcement of the new album has sparked a wave of excitement among fans, with social media platforms buzzing with anticipation and heartfelt messages. From reminiscing about cherished memories to expressing gratitude for the band’s enduring presence, the outpouring of love and support for NKOTB is nothing short of inspiring.

One fan shared, “I’ll be 57 this year and can’t believe I got to hear a new NKOTB song and see the video. You guys are still one of the best boy bands ever!”

Another fan reflected on the band’s timeless appeal, writing, “They still got the right stuff even more than 30 years later.” 

While another was excited to still be following them saying, “Man if I could go back and tell my 16 yr old self what an amazing ride this is gonna be! I picked the right band all those years ago. Thank you NK!”

So mark your calendars, set your alarms, and get ready to embark on a musical journey with New Kids on the Block.

Watch the music video for their new single below:

Sources: New Kids on the Block

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The Mdzananda Animal Clinic’s annual charity dog walk is finally back after a three-year break; it’s time to dress up with your pooches and have a fun day out!

Sea Point, South Africa (05 March 2024) – Humans and four-legged friends are invited to strut their stuff at the sixth Paws on the Promenade – a dog walk fundraiser by the Mdzananda Animal Clinic in Khayelitsha. After a three-year break due to Covid-19 and venue issues, the event is back by pawpular demand.

The event was due to take place in October 2023 but was postponed to this year. What was meant to be a Halloween walk, is still going to be a fun event where pets and owners can dress up and have fun.

The dog walk will take place on Sunday the 17th of March at 9 am. Starting at the Mouille Point lighthouse, the five-kilometre route will extend to the Sea Point swimming pool and back. Shorter turnaround points for old, tired and injured pets (or humans) will also be available.

“Our 2020 Paws on the Promenade was a great success with an attendance of 352 dogs. On a budget of just R3,500 we raised R48,400. We hope to raise even more funds with this year’s event. This, however, all depends on how many wonderful dogs and humans join us for the walk,” says Marcelle du Plessis, Fundraising and Communications Executive and event organiser.

The Mdzananda Animal Clinic is an NPO animal clinic in Khayelitsha township serving up to 1500 animals per month through consultations, hospitalisation, general and orthopaedic surgeries, continuous sterilisations, mobile clinics, an animal ambulance and homeless pet shelter. They also set a priority on community empowerment and education to ensure people become responsible pet ownership into the future.

“Our budget keeps growing year on year due to the demand for our services. It is essential for us to diversify our fundraising. Paws on the Promenade is a great fundraiser but also a magnificent fun filled event for the whole family,” says du Plessis.

Expect to see dogs of all shapes and sizes. “People get very creative, dressing themselves and their dogs up in costumes,” says du Plessis. There will be Dalmatians in tutus, Dachshunds in hot dog outfits and Pomeranians with bow ties.

“For the past six years Vondi’s has partnered with Mdzananda in making this event possible. It is one of our highlights of the year,” says Cindy Jacobson, manager of Vondi’s Holistic Pet Nutrition. “The route is one of the most scenic routes in Cape Town making it a wonderful walk for dogs and owners alike. We support Mdzananda because of their excellent professionalism and the impact they make in the Khayelitsha community, educating pet owners and treating sick pets that would otherwise have little to no help.”

Everyone is invited – humans without four-legged friends are welcome too.

Tickets cost R50 per person, R50 per dog and R25 for kids under 12. These are available from Quicket www.qkt.io/pawsonprom2024 or on the day from 08:00.

Raffle prizes, product sales, delicious coffee, food and crafts will entertain you on the day. The first 100 dogs to arrive will also receive a free goodie bag.

All pet owners are encouraged to dress up in a dog outfit or to wear something orange, the Mdzananda Animal Clinic brand.

For more information visit www.mdzananda.co.za or join our Facebook event at https://www.facebook.com/events/983664270137129

Sources: Mdzananda – Supplied

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Growing up, one can remember spending birthdays at Spur and getting a birthday song; this team really made this birthday song epic.

Kuils River, South Africa (05 March 2024) – The waiters at the Zevenwacht Spur put on a great performance for someone’s birthday and it is going viral, even now, 10 weeks after it was originally shared.

Sherri Andreas captured the moment while at the restaurant chain and it has left many South Africans reminiscing on the days they got to experience their own birthdays at the franchise. We all have the ear-worm “I don’t know what I’ve been told, but superboy/girl is getting old – don’t you worry, don’t you fear – it only happens once a year! Yo, yo, yo… yeah, yeah, yeah”, living in our brains, just waiting to be reawakened – sorry!

There are actually a few variations of birthday songs from over the past few decades (share your favourite in the comment section).

This new variation is lively and brings all the joy. People have shared that this isn’t a rare performance either, the talented waiteress is known throughout the community for going the extra mile when celebrating a patron’s birthday.

“I totally agree!!!It was my son birthday,and she made his day with her dance moves.,a day he will never forgetspur in Zevenwacht’s mall rocks” – @zasjewellery

“Have been there the staff there really love their job. They literally do this to everybody” – @sibusisomakhuvele_

Others said the video gave them the feel-good vibes!

“Give her a huge raise..she deserves it..I felt that vibe just watching the video” – @a_mi01

“Aaah man, I felt like getting into my screen to also clap hands” – @jaffer_enos

Take a look at the birthday performance below:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Visit Cape Town (@visit_capetown_)

Sources: Visit Cape Town – Linked Above

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The nation was enthralled when news broke of the Thabo Bester prison break scandal; GroundUp shared that the convicted criminal had not died in a fire as originally reported and had, in fact, escaped!

South Africa (05 March 2024) – One of the most anticipated docuseries has officially been confirmed and the trailer is here to entice us all! “Tracking Thabo Bester” is the true-crime documentary South Africa has been asking for ever since GroundUp first broke the news that the convicted murderer and rapist did not burn to death in Cell 35 after all and was instead shopping at Woolworths in Sandton City.

Thabo Bester was the most searched person in South Africa on Google in 2023, with his co-accused, Dr Nandipha Magudumana, just behind in fourth place, as the whole country obsessed over Bestermania and the stormy tale of love, murder, deception and corruption. Daily Maverick named them both ‘SA Villain of the Year.’

The larger-than-life story of South Africa’s most famous prison break is in safe hands: Tracking Thabo Bester is being produced by local true-crime pioneers IdeaCandy, the production company behind the SAFTA-winning Devilsdorp, the Sanlam Group Financial Journalist of the Year-winning Steinheist, and the Showmax true-crime record breaker Rosemary’s Hitlist.

The four-part investigation will be screened in two halves on Showmax on the 15th and 22nd of March 2024.

The first episode follows GroundUp journalists Marecia Damons and Daniel Steyn as they investigate an anonymous tip-off that the burnt body at Mangaung Correctional Centre may not have been Bester. Damons and Steyn went on to win the prestigious Nat Nakasa Award and share the Vodacom Journalist of the Year award for breaking the jaw-dropping story and its biggest plot twists. They also co-wrote the bestselling book The Thabo Bester Story: The Facebook Rapist, the Celebrity Doctor and the Escape from Cell 35.

Subsequent episodes look at why Bester was called the Facebook rapist and in jail originally; how a celebrity doctor fell for a convicted criminal and left her children behind to go on the run with him to Tanzania; and who really died in Cell 35.

Interviews include prisoners and prison warders at Mangaung Correctional Centre; the family of Katlego Bereng Mpholo, whose body was found in Cell 35; Nkosinathi Sekeleni, Nandipha’s older brother; and former South African Police Service head profiler Dr Gérard Labuschagne, who interviewed Bester after his 2012 arrest for rape and murder. The documentary also shows the media and social media reactions to the story.

Having earned three SAFTA nominations in the past two years for her work editing Steinheist, Devilsdorp and Murder in Paris, Nikki Comninos made her Showmax Original debut as a director on December’s Convict Conman, which looked at Dawie de Villiers – another South African running a media business from inside jail, where he was also serving time for rape. She’s again at the helm of Tracking Thabo Bester.

“We tend to discuss Thabo Bester like it’s an isolated case but it’s clearly not,” says Comninos. “Bester has been depicted as some kind of anomaly for being able to run a business while incarcerated, but so did Dawie de Villiers – also a convicted rapist who lured his victims online – at a completely different prison. This raises questions about what is happening with the South African prison system.”

The trial of Bester, Magudumana and their co-accused was supposed to begin in the Free State High Court at the end of February but has been postponed to 5 June 2024.

Watch the teaser trailer below:

Sources: Showmax – Supplied

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Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

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In another example of why age is but a number and never something that should hold anyone back from going after their goals, powerhouse Gill Tregenna (who is in her 80s) has broken a world walking record!

Cape Town, South Africa (04 March 2024) — Gill Tregenna has just etched her name into the history books after she cracked a world walking record and left a trail of inspiration behind her.

At Athletics South Africa’s South African Champs held in Cape Town on Saturday, Gill saddled up to compete in the 80-85 category’s twenty-kilometre walk.

Putting the power in a power walk, the member of the Westville Athletic Club didn’t just make herself and her club proud, but South Africa after she made international victory with her new world walking record.

A treasure of an achievement at any age, Gill’s moment is even more significant considering all the inspiration we are sure her determination will impart to anyone who has ever thought that age restricts achievements.

No stranger to achievements (many of which have been in the past few years) in 2023, Gill competed in the African Masters Championship, came first and broke the South African 10km record for her division by a whopping two minutes. And a few years before that, she won the Athletics South Africa Champs’ 10km which led her to hold the title of the fastest female in South Africa for her age group!

Meanwhile, in other news of determined female South African athletes doing history-making things, Amber Fillary broke three Guinness World Records in the space of two days in a must-read series of achievements. 

Sources: Website submission; Westville Athletic Club 

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Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

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The Pothole Patrol team have filled over 200,000 potholes since 2021 all thanks to the collaboration of big business and residents of Johannesburg.

South Africa (04 March 2024) – Living in South Africa means one becomes more than acquainted with the numerous potholes that are found along the daily commute. There are many communities that take matters into their own hands, to combat the worst of the worst. Now there is a new team on the road called the “Pothole Patrol”.

Starting in 2023, 18 people were enrolled in a pilot training programme and it was a huge success. Launching in February this year, students will now be earning an NQF Level 3 qualification after 12 months of practical training and studies. The pilot programme has since seen a further 24 learners enrolled in 2024.

“In its first official year, which kicked off on 1 February 2024, the Academy is providing classroom and on-the job-training to 24 learners through EduWize, an accredited learnership and skills development provider.

Participants are men and women aged 22 to 34 from previously disadvantaged communities and will obtain a National Certificate in Roadworks Construction upon completion. The aim of the programme is to equip participants with road construction skills and the confidence to start their own business one day.”

The programme is being run by Discovery in partnership with various stakeholders. With support from the City of Johannesburg, over 200,000 potholes have been repaired on major Johannesburg roads. The initiative’s initial target was to repair 1,000 potholes a week – which has been exceeded by 25%.

The best part is if you have a pothole in your area (specifically in Johannesburg areas), you can report it for free using the Discovery Pothole Patrol mobile app (available for iOS and Android). You just have to register, and then upload a picture or capture the pothole’s location.

There are parameters to what can be repaired by the Pothole Patrol. The team can only work on potholes measuring a maximum size of 1m by 1m. Anything bigger or deeper than 3cm, has to be handled by the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA). However, the Pothole Patrol will escalate the “reinstatements” to the authorities.

“Reinstatements, road excavations, deep trenches or cracks are caused by entities and other service providers, either repairing or installing their services and are not classified as potholes.” – Discovery Pothole Patrol

The efforts of the Pothole Patrol are helping work through the backlog of repairs needed in Johannesburg. Thanks to the collaboration of big business, the city and residents who report potholes, a change is happening!

Sources: Discovery

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Qaqamba Cuba is deeply invested in the success of the RX Radio station that operates from the Red Cross Children’s Hospital – So much so, she is taking on yet another cycle challenge to raise funds for the station.

Cape Town, South Africa (04 March 2024) – The Red Cross Children’s Hospital radio station, RX Radio, is working hard to stay on the airwaves, taking every chance to raise funds towards its running costs. Qaqamba Cuba (24) has also dedicated her efforts to helping raise funds for the station.

RX Radio is a beloved, award-winning, radio station housed in the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital in Cape Town, that is presented by children with chronic health conditions, their friends and siblings. Listeners are children, youth, the hospital community and the public in general.

The station’s mission is to spread positivity, create awareness around health conditions, share important news stories and provide entertainment around the clock to comfort their many listeners in hospital wards and public spaces in South Africa and around the globe.

RX Radio broadcasts 24/7, providing live and pre-recorded programmes (including shows, music, podcasts, and radio diaries) to their young listeners.

Since 2016, RX Radio has trained 135 Children and Young Reporters between the ages of 4 and 18, who are curious about the field of radio broadcasting.

Qaqamba is an RX Radio reporter and board member. She is collaborating with Warrior on Wheels again, this time around they will be participating in the Cape Town Cycle Tour to raise R 10 000.00 for the station.

“RX Radio is no stranger when it comes to marathons as we have had many people fly the station’s banner high in numerous races such as the Two Oceans and the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon, where Qaqamba Cuba was pushed in a buggy by former Southern Striders runner, Alan Jacobs.”

For the Cape Town Cycle Tour, Qaqamba will be pulled in a buggy by Ettienne Wilsnagh.

“Qaqamba uses her condition (Congenital Scoliosis) to drive her passions in life whether it be finishing her Law Degree or helping others realise their potential and following their dreams. The RX Radio Team is beyond proud to follow her along this journey. We would like to encourage others to assist Qaqamba in her plight to raise funds for a cause that is close to her heart.”

To contribute to Qaqamba’s efforts, you can donate here.

Sources: RX Radio – Supplied

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The men’s over-40 cricket team just won the International Masters Cricket World Cup, beating New Zealand on home turf!

Cape Town, South Africa (04 March 2024) – The inaugural over-40s International Masters Cricket (IMC) World Cup was hosted in South Africa recently and our incredible home team won, beating New Zealand by 6 wickets!

The IMC hosts tournaments for over 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s teams. The IMC was officially established at an AGM on 6 August 2023, which included members from all 14 member nations. The AGM brought the over-60s and over-70s into the fold, meaning that IMC now covers all four age groups.

Countries involved include major cricket nations like the UK (Wales competes as a stand-alone team), India, Australia, New Zealand, the West Indies and Sri Lanka; other countries also involved include neighbouring Zimbabwe and Namibia, the United Arab Emirates, the United States and Canada, and Pakistan.

Over the weekend, Cape Town played host to the Over-40s World Cup and South Africa won the whole thing!

“South Africa have won the IMC Over-40s World Cup, beating New Zealand by 6 wickets in the Grand Final today.

South Africa bowled fantastically to restrict the powerful NZ batting lineup to just 155 (tournament top run-scorer Hardeep Singh hit 55) and then worked their way methodically to the target with about 9 overs to spare. Werner Moolman top-scored with 45 not out.” – International Masters Cricket

“It was a well-deserved win for the hosts, who only suffered one loss during the tournament, to New Zealand in round robin play.

Congratulations to South Africa, and to all the teams that made this a fantastic inaugural Over-40s World Cup!” – International Masters Cricket

Take a look at the moment the team lifted the World Cup below:

You can also catch the full match along with commentary below, in case you missed it!

Sources: IMC (Linked Above)

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An app developed by tech startup Vambo Technologies, co-founded by Chido Dzinotyiwei and Isheanesu Misi, stands as a pioneering language accessibility platform. It aims to empower users to seamlessly communicate, learn, and create content in various African languages, fostering cultural inclusivity and breaking linguistic barriers.

South Africa (04 March 2024) – When Chido Dzinotyiwei moved to South Africa from Zimbabwe as a child, language became both an obstacle and an opportunity for change. Her primary concern as an adult was children struggling with their mother tongue in new environments, facing challenges in pronouncing names, and finding it difficult to connect with the languages spoken in their surroundings.

Fast forward to today, the entrepreneur and Mandela-Rhodes Scholar, now based in Johannesburg, is on a mission with her business, Vambo Academy and project, Vambo AI, to address the vital language needs of African communities.

“Having moved to another country in my early schooling years, I had to learn a language in order to succeed at school and I had to learn other languages in order to make friends. I ended up having to repeat grade 4 because the only language I was fluent in at the time was my mother tongue [ChiShona] which was neither the local language nor the language of instruction”, she shared, detailing her own struggles with language barriers.

Vambo Academy, created in 2019, was initially a private language tutoring service conducted in people’s homes. It became a thriving endeavour until the pandemic abruptly halted the business. Faced with this challenge, Dzinotyiwei made a crucial decision for the continuity of the business by exploring the integration of technology into language education.

The same year Vambo Academy was created, Dzinotyiwei met her now co-founder, Isheanesu Misi, when he participated in a business pitch competition which she was hosting, called YouthSolve, aimed at solving unemployment. Although they initially lost touch, they reconnected three years later through social media, where Misi engaged with Dzinotyiwei’s content on language learning and technology.

Their shared ambition to build language tech led them to join forces and create Vambo AI. Derived from the ChiShona language, Vambo means ‘Origin’ or ‘Beginning.

“Language is part of our origin story as Africans, which is why we decided to build the “Origin” Academy and now “Origin” AI,” Dzinotyiwei said.

The shift towards technology was a natural progression for Vambo Academy, which promotes African languages through technical solutions. In 2023, Vambo AI emerged as an organic discovery for the co-founders while they were engaged in the development of a new app and feature, utilising the data from Vambo Academy.

“It was important to create Vambo Academy to curate a space where people – young and old – could reconnect with their roots through language, culture and heritage,” Dzinotyiwei expressed.

She then added, “the AI component allows us to do this in a different paradigm and reach more people through the use of technology that will ensure that Africa remains abreast with modern technology.”

Vambo AI, a multilingual generative AI platform, works by understanding multiple languages, including uncommon pairs, and being generative for content creation. Its goal is to empower Africans to engage in their languages, fostering a connection with the continent’s diverse linguistic landscape.

For example, a user can type in a question in Zulu and have it translated into Amharic.

With a strategic approach, the co-founders handpicked languages close to their hearts, starting with their mother tongue and broadening the spectrum based on valuable user feedback. Users can explore ten dynamic languages including Afrikaans, Amharic, ChiShona, English, French, isiXhosa, isiZulu, Kinyarwanda, kiSwahili, and Portuguese facilitated through www.app.vambo.ai.

Beyond language exploration, the nature of their work necessitates collaboration with a diverse array of individuals, including native speakers, academics, translators, creatives, and more. This has not only broadened their horizons but also forged impactful collaborations, particularly with schools seeking knowledge and language support.

However, the duo faced their fair share of challenges during the strategic planning and platform development phase.

“First, we found that there are limited resources available in Africa for building AI solutions. This includes data, infrastructure, and funding opportunities. We also realised that AI was more of an abstract concept to some of the people we were looking to serve. As a result, we had to rethink our approach and cater to our target market, enabling them to access the innovative and leading aspects of our solution,” Dzinotyiwei elaborated.

“Second, we had to apply our minds and think about how best to build the experience for our target users. One key lightbulb moment we had was when we realised that people are far better at recognizing languages within neighbouring communities or similar language groups than languages that were further removed,” she added.

For instance, a person whose native language is IsiXhosa is better at deciphering and understanding IsiZulu or Sesotho than they would be at doing the same for languages in other regions. To address this, Dzinotyiwei and Misi made it easier for the Vambo system to recognize languages through a free language detection software called Lingoscan by Vambo AI.

“Our model and any other models using that API can easily determine language and better cater to their users,” Dzinotyiwei said.

The co-founders discovered that establishing a company in language tech demands meticulous attention to detail and a steadfast commitment to building supporting infrastructure, particularly when aiming for accuracy and excellence.

Through feedback, users of Vambo AI, which is currently available for free, actively contribute to platform improvement.

“With our initial release, users would share examples that didn’t meet their expectations, and we would actively improve it. Now, users are not only using the platform for its initial purpose, but they are also creating and sharing new use cases within tourism, finance, immigration, enhancing what they are building.”

Dzinotyiwei shared an example of one user, Harvey Binamu, Director at Belenga Dev, a data researcher who utilised Vambo AI’s technology to integrate the plug-in to an SMS API allowing it to be used via text messages in the native language, unlocking another level of accessibility for the platform.

Vambo AI is in its beta phase at the moment and undergoing improvements.

However, to keep up with cutting-edge research in the field and actively address existing gaps, Dzinotyiwei and Misi consistently network with other stakeholders, forming a community to collaboratively solve common problems. Among them is their Responsible AI Advisor, Jonas Kgomo, who provides support and guidance, ensuring the development of AI that is safe for users and platforms while upholding the integrity of the languages offered by their business.

As the landscape of AI in Africa continues to evolve, it becomes imperative to examine the potential and challenges facing the industry. Taking this into account, Jonas Kgomo, the Responsible AI Advisor for Vambo AI, shared his perspective.

“Africa is home to a wealth of talent and innovation, and I believe that AI can be a powerful tool for solving some of the continent’s most pressing challenges. There remain global deliberation and democratic challenges ahead. I see opportunities for AI to improve healthcare, education, agriculture, and financial inclusion. However, there are also challenges that need addressing, such as the lack of access to data, data sovereignty, and the need for oversight across AI applications.”

“Vambo AI’s focus on linguistic diversity and cultural inclusivity is essential for creating AI solutions that are relevant and useful to people across the continent. I’m excited to see what Vambo AI accomplishes in the years to come, especially in unearthing qualities of indigenous knowledge and reconciling the techno-linguistic gap,” Kgomo added.

Dzinotyiwei and Misi might be innovative in their own right, however, they are part of a cohort of African youth who are looking to AI to change the language landscape on the continent. One example is that of Ghanaian Danny Manu, a serial entrepreneur, designer and manufacturer of live translation earbuds that help individuals and companies break language barriers with their inventions.

Manu’s earbuds are available for purchase on Amazon and offer translation for 37+ languages.

Looking ahead, Vambo AI aims to expand its features, making the platform multimodal with voice capabilities, Internet search, and additional languages. The journey of language tech, as outlined by the co-founders, is a testament to the potential of African-led AI solutions.

Sources: Bird / Vambo / Kabod Group

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When people ask you what superpower you would want, you might think of flying or reading minds. But there’s one superpower that doesn’t live in science-fiction books, and it might just be one of the most empowering everyday superpowers around:

Global (03 March 2024) — One of the most uncomfortable lessons we learn over and over again in life is coping with things not turning out the way we wanted them to. But the more doors we knock on, the more opportunities we are likely going to be invited into. What holds us back from knocking, of course, is the same thing that teaches us to cope with disappointment—rejection!

So, what if we could make being comfortable with rejection a superpower?

Rejection takes many shapes and forms. We can experience social rejection, competence rejection, perceived rejection and rejection sensitivity among many other kinds. None of these sound like a good time because none of them are at first glance. But what if the actual rejection part of the narrative isn’t as problematic as our responses to these perceived threats?

Anxiety, blame, negative self-talk, aggression and even depression can all surface from scenarios where our minds have interpreted an experience to encompass rejection. We’re social creations who want to belong, want things to go the way we intend, and want to avoid pain at all costs.

But these integral parts of us aren’t always our friends, and can actually stand in the way of us even trying to put ourselves in a position that might be the best risk we ever take, simply because we might be rejected.

So what can we do about it?

We need to make being comfortable with rejection a superpower. And this starts with understanding that rejection is only as meaningful as it is perceived to be.

We, society and influences allocate meaning to our experiences; experiences do not allocate meaning to themselves. So, here are 3 simple ways to turn the narrative on rejection:

This is Happening for Me, Not to Me

Shift that victim mindset! If we train our minds to believe that things are happening for us, not to us, we are more likely to find the positive in the experience. So the girl you asked out on a date said no. Well, maybe you dodged a bullet you’ll only see with hindsight. Or maybe you got fired from a job you loved, only to discover that a better opportunity did become available when you had the time to look for it.

Every Rejection Holds a Lesson

There are few things as powerful as seeing tough experiences as lessons. But when we do, we are in a better standing to consciously take notes from it.

This takes a willingness to separate yourself and your emotions from the experience. Maybe you were underprepared for that job interview. Or maybe the conversation topics you brought to the dinner conversation with new people were not something everyone could talk on; which led to people changing the subject and you feeling ‘dismissed’.

When we think about situations objectively, we empower ourselves to be critical constructively.

It Was Good for the Plot

One of my personal favourites. Rejection isn’t easy, but maybe the risk you took was really good for the plot that is your life’s story. You did something bold, and it didn’t go as planned. But if you were a character and your life’s story was a book, maybe that’s exactly the moment of character development you needed to be braver. Or maybe it’ll make a really funny story that will become your kid’s favourite ‘when I was young’ tale one day.

I have a friend who once almost made the provincial team for a sport because she decided to take a risk. She’d only been playing it for a few months and decided one day to do something bold when the string of trials came around, despite being severely underqualified. Guess what? She made it all the way to the finals of trials. Yes, she did get rejected in the end, but she went way further than she’d ever imagined. And that confidence boost was worth its weight in accolades.

See, rejection isn’t always a negative thing. And it isn’t always a positive thing. It’s okay to feel disappointed and discouraged—just not for too long. But when being comfortable with this sensation our brains have dramatised becomes your superpower, you’ll find yourself building a story of your life where you aren’t insecure about what could go wrong, but secure in knowing that you’ll find a way to be alright.

Sources:  GTG

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Do you have something to add to this story? Please share it in the comments or follow GoodThingsGuy on Facebook & Twitter to keep up to date with good news as it happens, or share your good news with us by clicking here or click the link below to listen to the Good Things Guy Podcast with Brent Lindeque – South Africa’s very own Good Things Guy. He’s on a mission to change what the world pays attention to, and he truly believes there’s good news around us. In the Good Things Guy podcast, you’ll meet these everyday heroes & hear their incredible stories:

Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

The post Free Therapy Sundays: Why Being Comfortable with Rejection is a Super Power  appeared first on Good Things Guy.