What My Wife’s Rejection Taught Me About Self-Esteem.
My wife, Emma, has always had a unique sense of style. The way she puts her outfits together always caught attention and garnered admiration from everyone who knew her. Her self-confidence was truly inspiring. However, one day, she started to question her own beauty after being humiliated by an employee at a lingerie store.
Emma had seen an advertisement that a store she loved—both for its products and its luxurious display—was hiring. Since she was already looking for a job, it seemed like the perfect opportunity. Excited and hopeful, she walked into the store and greeted the saleswoman, who didn’t seem very welcoming.
When Emma asked how she could apply for the position, the saleswoman looked her up and down disdainfully before delivering the blow: “Look, I don’t think you’re pretty enough for this job. NO WAY. Don’t even try.”
Those words shattered Emma’s self-confidence. When she got home, she broke down in tears, unable to believe that someone could be so insensitive as to tell a person they were ugly to their face. In that moment, I was so furious that I decided to teach that sales assistant a lesson.
Revenge in Retail
I called my friend Mike. He’s a charming man who works as a talent scout, and I told him what had happened. He came up with a brilliant idea. The next day, we went to the store and made sure the same sales assistant was there.
When we walked in, Mike introduced himself and I pretended to be shopping. He started talking to her about fashion and said he was looking for a “new face” for an upcoming campaign. She seemed eager to make a good impression, adjusting herself and posing.
After some time, just as Emma walked into the store, Mike turned to the sales assistant and said, “I’m sorry, you’re not what we’re looking for.” Then, he turned to Emma, pretending to see her for the first time, and said, “Miss, have you ever considered modeling? You’d fit in perfectly.”
The Lesson Learned
Emma smiled, and the saleswoman was furious, getting a taste of her own medicine. We all left the store, and although Emma felt a little sorry for the woman, I knew she deserved it. I wanted Emma to learn that her self-esteem and self-confidence come from within, not from what others think of her.
