We all get a dose of life’s barbs and thorns from time to time. Criticism can come to us in the form of a boss who is always on the lookout for slipups or an occasional putdown by a friend or family member. Whether done publicly or privately, it can cause our self esteem and confidence to plunge down.
Of course you have no control over what another person says or how they act but here are some empowering tips to meet criticism with grace and repair your broken self esteem.
- Assess the criticism and the critic
It’s essential get a thorough understanding of the situation and decide the best response. There are two types of criticism: constructive criticism from a loved one and negative criticism that is meant to crush you and discredit you. Objectively decide whether you need to defend your position to let go.
- Acknowledge how you feel
You will start to feel more pressure if you don’t acknowledge the things that bother you. If someone, especially someone close to you, has hurt you with their curt critique, you may try to avoid confrontation by bottling up your feelings. But these very same feelings are your barometer for what’s good and what’s bad. If you ignore your feelings, you will land up in a stickier mess later.
- Define clear-cut boundaries
You are the one who choose the people and situations you will tolerate in your life. If you are personally or professionally related to a negative person who is erode your self esteem with constant judgment and critique, you owe it to yourself to put up a boundary line to keep such negative people out. Remember that not doing so can cause your creativity to whittle away and you can feel burdened with dead weight.
