Today friends, I am getting real. Yes, totally real on how I handled criticism in the past and how I have learned to handle criticism these days. Ready to hear the full podcast click >>HERE<<
- Does criticism hurt? Heck yes,
- Is it easy to tune criticism out? Of course not.
- Can you learn how? Yes. Yes. Yes.
A bit of motivation and a bit of real life with a punch is delivered in today’s podcast.
I’d like to just quickly share a thought that has become a habit for me and that helps me deal with criticism in a better way.
It took me many years to start thinking about others’ opinions that differed from my own or look at their criticism in a different way. Don’t get me wrong, for as long as I can remember what other people thought of me or my actions was not really at the top of my care list. Maybe that was the product of being raised as basically an only child or growing up in a very small southern town where EVERYONE knows your business or thinks they do and then wants to talk about it to others. I developed a very tough skin because of where I grew up.
Or maybe a combination of both.
See, the truth is everyone does have a right to their own opinion, but HOW i choose to accept that or think about it is my right as well.
Real talk… people ARE going to give you unsolicited advice either to you or behind your back and you can NOT control that. Exerting your energy on trying to stop them is so pointless and really only hurts you.
**However, your actions are what is most important.**
Everyone has the right to their own opinion. And that is OK.
Now, this might seem obvious, but for the longest time I was honestly not OK with what others said about me. I wanted to defend myself or “set the record straight”. But to what avail?
So, over the years I learned to let it go each and every time. Let them exert all their energy thinking about my choices and talking about my choices. Let them exhaust themselves.
I started slowly tuning everyone out, but sometimes people had valuable criticism, so I had to at least pay attention to the people that mattered and what they had to say.
I can certainly learn from some of the things people tell me or I read or hear from others. However, I also learned to spot those people that were saying things that were not so much about me.
People more times than not, will critique someone’s actions based on their own reality or perspective. If someone doesn’t feel comfortable talking in public they may harshly critique your speech or even talk you out of doing a public speech, when their criticism really has nothing to do with you, but actually their own fear and self-doubt.
Being OK with the fact that everyone has the right to their own opinion and leaving it at that has made me feel less defensive and helped me to not take criticism too personally or let it cut too deep.
AND It has helped me to stop questioning myself in cases when I really shouldn’t.
And to let go of things more easily.
Maybe this simple thought of acceptance can help you too.
It can take a bit of practice to get it to work well (it did for me at least). But, using it over and over again to get there is certainly worth it.
Because it has brought me a lot of inner peace and freed up much energy and time in my life to focus on something better and definitely more productive.
For more on this subject click >>HERE<< to listen to the full podcast. And if you enjoy this episode, please subscribe to The Sandy Adams Show for more content like this topic. I love motivating and inspiring each of you to be the best version of yourself.
I will be teaching my 4-part motivation series, “The Art of Motivation” again in May and June, 2021
👉🏻 Register for “Delving Into Mindset, Self-Confidence and Self-Esteem” >>HERE<<
👉🏻 Register for “The Energy Component” >>HERE<<
👉🏻 Look for June, 2021 dates for “What Role Direction Plays” & “Persistence Is Key” at the end of May >>HERE<
“A strong, positive self-image is the best possible preparation for success.” – Joyce Brothers
Sandy Adams 