“ Not this Door”

Recently, I applied to attend the TED Women’s Conference in San Diego.

I was excited.
I pictured myself among a vibrant, inspiring community of women—learning, connecting, being lit up.

And then the email arrived.

“Thank you for applying. Due to an overwhelming number of applicants…”
You know how that goes.
I wasn’t chosen.

In that moment, I felt the familiar sting of rejection.