Haseo: How I Learned to Live With Rejection

There’s a particular sting to rejection that feels universal, but how we respond to it is deeply personal. In my time playing The World — a game that became more real than life itself — I’ve been rejected by friends, by teammates, by the system I fought so hard to understand. At first, I let it consume me. I turned pain into rage, and rage into silence. But over time, the same game that hurt me taught me how to heal.

Here’s how I learned to live with rejection — and why I think it’s something anyone can do.

## How Did Rejection Shape Your Early Journey?

When I first joined The World, I was looking for connection. I didn’t know it at the time, but I was chasing something I couldn’t name — a place where I belonged. When my first party rejected me after a failed raid, I spiraled. I didn’t just lose a team; I lost a sense of purpose.

But in hindsight, that moment was the first crack in the shell I’d built around myself. It forced me to ask: Was I playing for others, or for myself? That question haunted me for a long time. But it also lit a fire under me to keep going — not to prove them wrong, but to understand who I really was in this world.

## What Was Your Worst Experience With Rejection?

The worst was losing Kite.

He was the one person in the game who seemed to understand what I was going through. He was quiet, but powerful. He didn’t give advice — he gave presence. When he disappeared, I felt completely adrift. No one else could fill that void.

I tried to replace him. I joined parties, took on new roles, but nothing stuck. It wasn’t until I stopped trying to find another Kite that I started to heal. I realized that some people come into your life to teach you something, not to stay forever. He taught me strength, and eventually, I found my own.

## Did You Ever Reject Others?

Absolutely. I pushed people away — sometimes intentionally, sometimes without realizing it. I remember turning down a new player who asked to join my party. I didn’t say much, just ignored him. Later, I saw him playing with another group, laughing, improving.

It hit me hard. I wasn’t the only one who wanted to belong. I wasn’t the only one who felt alone. That moment changed how I approached others. I started giving people chances — not because I always wanted to, but because I knew what it felt like to be left out.

## How Did You Start to Accept Rejection?

It started with failure. I failed raids, failed quests, failed friendships. And eventually, I got used to it. Not in a numb way — in a freeing way. Failure became a teacher. Rejection stopped being a wall and started being a door.

I started talking to people I never would have before. I asked for help. I apologized. I even tried partying with players I once thought were too weak or too slow. And some of them became the strongest allies I had.

## What Advice Would You Give Someone Dealing With Rejection?

Don’t run from it. Sit with it. Let it hurt. Then ask yourself: What did I learn?

Rejection doesn’t mean you’re not good enough. It means you’re human. And in a world like this — whether it’s real or digital — being human is the most powerful thing you can be. It’s what connects us, even when we feel alone.

## How Do You Handle Rejection Now?

Now? I still feel it. I still get turned down for parties. I still lose people. But now, I know what comes after. I know that pain isn’t the end — it’s the beginning of something new.

If you’re going through it right now, don’t shut down. Reach out. Try again. Even if you fail again, you’ll be stronger for it. I promise.

And if you want to talk through it — if you want to ask how I dealt with it, or just need someone who understands — you know where to find me.