We’ve all been there – we struggled to do a task and spend ages trying to do it and do well and just when we think we have done it and breathe a sigh of relief we are then lucky enough to get the barrage of others opinions.  

Criticism is not always gentle, nor does it always come from a supportive place, often making it difficult to receive. Unfortunately, we can’t control others thoughts or indeed what they will say to us - or about us, but luckily for us, we can control how we respond.  

It is so easy to react negatively when we get criticised for something but if we can just turn it around and see it in a brighter, more positive light, criticism doesn’t seem so bad after all. It can actually have many benefits, the main one being personal growth; It’s not easy for us to face our flaws and when someone points them out, this can feel hurtful, but how do we get better if we don’t even know what our flaws are? Taking on board any critical comments can allow us to learn from it and do better – in fact, another perspective may even give you new ideas and help to expand your thinking.  

Criticism gives us the opportunity to practice our active listening skills. This is not an easy task when you feel attacked and the first thing you want to do is defend yourself, but, stay with it, try not to interrupt and attempt to really listen to what the other person has to say. Ask questions to clarify what they are saying if you need to. This may bring uncomfortable feelings to the surface that are difficult to acknowledge but responding to a comment and taking time to listen and take the comments on board, rather than reacting emotionally can help us to be more rational. That being said, it doesn’t mean that you have to accept someone who is being rude to you. If you feel that someone is being overly harsh or even aggressive in their tone or manner, muster up your courage and practice putting into place personal boundaries by finding a way to state that you appreciate that they have valid points but that you would find it much easier to receive them if they didn’t raise their voice or point their finger etc.  

Do not take criticism personally and don’t dwell on it either. The more time you spend going over and over what has been said gives you less time to actually deal with the issue. Learn your lessons, make your improvements and move on.  Remember that it is not easy to receive feedback, but it is not always easy to give either.  

If you take away anything from this post, take away this;  

It is ok to not be perfect. In fact, it is far better to open to admitting your flaws and/or weaknesses and be able to move forward, working on them to make a better version of yourself.