What if the life you want is hiding behind a thousand uncomfortable moments?

Most people spend their lives trying to avoid rejection.

Gabriella Carr decided to chase it.

At just 22, and recently featured in The New York Times, she has taken on a radical public experiment: collect 1,000 rejections by deliberately putting herself in situations where she might hear “no.”

Auditions. Brand pitches. Asking strangers for help. Putting herself on the line again and again.

Because she believes something most of us secretly fear might be true:

Confidence is built through exposure, not protection.

In this week’s Rejection Rehab, Emmy-winning producer Dr. Tom sits down with Gabriella Carr, creator, actor, and the force behind the viral “1,000 Nos” challenge, to unpack what happens when you stop avoiding discomfort and start leaning into it.

We explore a deeper tension that defines modern life:

Are we becoming more confident…

or just more dependent on validation?

Gabriella Carr shares how facing rejection repeatedly has changed her nervous system, reshaped her identity, and taught her to separate self-worth from outcomes.

If rejection is unavoidable, learning to metabolize it may be the ultimate psychological skill.

In this episode:

🧠 Why deliberately seeking rejection reduces fear and anxiety

📈 The psychology behind the 1000 Rejections Challenge

📱 Social media, approval, and the trap of external validation

🔥 “Delusional confidence” vs grounded confidence

💡 Why rejection is feedback, not failure

🎭 Exposure, resilience, and emotional adaptation

🤝 How persistence compounds into opportunity

⚠️ The hidden cost of playing small

If you have ever held yourself back…

feared judgment…

or wondered how confident people think…

this conversation will reframe how you see risk.

🎧/ 📺 Listen/watch here: YouTube | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Instagram

🎙️Host: Dr. Tom — rejection-rehab.com | Instagram  | LinkedIn  | X 

👤 Guest: Gabriella Carr — Instagram | TikTok

#RejectionRehab #FearOfRejection #Confidence #Resilience #PersonalGrowth #1000Nos #ExposureTherapy #Psychology #SelfDevelopment #Podcast