Author: Isha
Criticism is defined as an individual’s perspective on what your mistakes or flaws are and is a representation of how an individual perceives your imperfections. Accepting criticism can be a difficult process, as it takes patience and resilience to understand the root of such judgement. In this blog post, I will share some tips on how to take in and deal with criticism in a positive and healthy manner.
Understanding where criticism comes from is crucial. This includes the source, the tone, and the way it is presented to you. Be aware of who is giving the criticism. The proximity, depth, and relevance of the speaker to your life is a determinant as to how you should perceive the criticism presented. For example, critique from your distant friend has a completely different relevance to your life than the criticism that your close friend or teacher gives you. Therefore, it is important to judge and understand the source of the criticism and its relevance to you. In a situation where you are feeling judged or criticized, try to stay calm and composed. Immediately jumping to conclusions or assuming that the other party has bad intentions is not productive.
Listen to their opinion. Try to make sense of the arguments provided and if you feel unclear or unsure about their criticism, do not shy away from asking questions. After receiving criticism, the most critical step is to self-reflect and identify times if you have ever felt the same way about yourself. Criticism can be a powerful tool which can help you realize the aspects of your life that you may not be actively conscious about.
It is important to understand the difference between criticism and personal attacks or unconstructive criticism. If someone’s comments are baseless, they are most probably not meant to be beneficial. Understand your boundaries and distance yourself from the people who add unnecessary and unbeneficial judgement to your life.
Filtering through various opinions about yourself can be difficult and daunting at first, but successfully responding to criticism is a useful skill.
Whether it is from your family, friends, workplace, or teacher, criticism can help you identify your strengths and weaknesses and in turn help you grow as a person.
Accept both compliments and criticism. It takes both sun and rain for a flower to grow.” – Pinterest
