How Can You Counter Negative Criticism?

Why don’t you learn to use negative reviews to grow and improve as an individual instead of seeing them as an attack on yourself? Everything is a question of perspective

Negative criticism often evokes feelings of anger, annoyance, and sadness in us. Some people can handle negative criticism better than others.

Still, it’s never too late to learn how to face negative criticism . This is the only way to see them as allies instead of the greatest enemy.

For this reason, today we are giving some tips on how to allow feelings when others speak their minds and how to redirect your emotions into positive ones.

Need for negative criticism

While everyone has a tendency to reject anything that leads to negative feelings, in reality negative things are extremely necessary.

Negative things test us, and they allow us to mature and learn.

When negative criticism makes itself heard in our lives, it is important to accept the first reaction. Be it anger, anger or malaise …

In the case of negative criticism, an infinite number of feelings will arise that want to take control. But one should always be ready to make a decision about these emotions.

When such feelings arise, the moment comes when one has to choose one of the following three paths.

• The first way that is recommended over and over again is to simply pretend to be deaf. In this way you can ignore what you have heard, turn your back on what you have heard and continue your life as usual.
  However, this choice has its consequences. One could learn a lot from it. Because turning your back on things that you don’t like is not always a good decision.

• The second of the three paths that you keep taking is feeling sad and depressed.
• The third and most recommended way is  to confidently address negative criticism. But … how can you do that?

1. Be open to criticism

A criticism doesn’t define you, it just suggests something you are doing or doing. Therefore, as soon as feelings such as anger or sadness calm down again, it is important to open your mind.

Negative criticism does not devalue you. It would be the same to think that mistakes make us fail.

You have given such opinions too much weight. They lead to discomfort even though they can contain many truths.

For this reason, it is much more advisable to seek dialogue with the person who has voiced the criticism.

That way you can see things from a new point of view. Criticism can enrich your life and be of great help if you are in similar situations in the future.

2. What is the purpose of the criticism?

Maintaining an open mind doesn’t mean taking everything literally or believing that everything is just as true as the other person is saying it is.

Nothing like that. One should first try to identify the real intention that has all the negative criticism that has been expressed towards oneself.

• Sometimes negative criticism can be upset. Maybe the other person wasn’t having a good day and is taking out their frustration on you or is jealous of what you have achieved.
• On other occasions, the criticism intends nothing but to help, without malice on the part of the person voicing it.

For all of these reasons, it is always important to understand the real intention behind the criticism in order not to fall into error.

3. Make decisions according to or against the criticism

Did you notice that the negative criticism against you was only intended to help you? Then now is the time to decide whether or not you should make some changes in your life. 

Sometimes you realize that with a few simple changes in your habits, you can grow and mature and become a better person.

However, there are other moments when following the criticism would not bring about a good change and would be a useless effort.

You decide for yourself whether it makes sense to follow an opinion or not.

This way you don’t waste your time going in different directions again and again if that doesn’t get you anywhere.

How do you react to negative criticism? Are you able to guide them in a good direction or, on the contrary, are you overwhelmed by negative criticism?

In some moments we put ourselves in a defensive position because the criticism is attacking the ego and we should avoid that.

Nevertheless, it can take you very far as a person and help you to adopt a different opinion.

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