Hey everyone

I feel like I have a fear of rejection to the extreme... but it usually only happens with strangers. I suppose it manifests with my interpersonal relationships and romance as well (I'm 21 and I don't date for a variety of reasons but one of them is probably fear of rejection).

What I'm talking about is, for example, asking permission to do something or go somewhere. Whether this is at work or school, if I'm around someone who I don't know very well, if the answer is 'no' I instantly feel like crying. And it's NOT because I -reaally- wanted to do that thing, but it's because I feel humiliated and stupid for ever asking to begin with.

I don't want to have this reaction anymore, haha!

A concrete example is this: I work at a library and they have a book sale annually. The first day is open only to the "Friends" which are people who donate money to the library. Since I work here, some of my coworkers told me I could go during this sale and when I went and tried to get in, they denied me because I didn't pay the $10 fee. (I have like no money hence why I shop at booksales where books are 0.50 cents each!) I don't really care since the sale is open three more days in which I CAN go, but as soon as they told me no, I felt like just bawling and I felt so idiotic for even trying to get in.

Does anyone else relate? How do you cope with this feeling?