How criticism can actually be GOOD for you!

Who in their right mind likes to be criticized? No one! Criticism has both positive and negative meanings. Sadly, we are more inclined towards the latter. But if one learns to take criticism in the best way possible, it can lead to becoming the person one has always dreamed of. Criticism teaches valuable qualities such as tolerance, communication skills, humility, and emotional resilience. Mastering the art of handling criticism can lead to the acquisition of these great abilities.

The Importance of Criticism

Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfills the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things.

Winston Churchill

Some people criticize for the sake of criticizing and by finding fault in you, they find their peace, but others criticize because they need to see the good that is hidden within you. Have you ever seen a coach who does not yell or insult his players? But deep down, everyone knows it is for their own good. There are more than a few people in our lives as well who have taken on the roles of our coaches without pay or permit. Whether it be your parents, a sibling, or a friend, it is in their nature to nurture you.

Personal Experience with Criticism

In my story, the main character is my sister, with my mother as a supporting lead. Ever since I was little, I have always been criticized for even the smallest of my mistakes. It is still unknown if that forms as a reason behind my thick skin or if I was born that way. To this day, I find it challenging to understand my sister’s personality and discern whether her criticism should be taken seriously or disregarded. But back in the days when this concern was not a thing in my brain, I always took their criticism seriously, which led me towards working harder on myself, reforming new habits, and an everlasting nature of self-consciousness, self-criticism, and self-improvement. To be honest, I have evolved more than a chameleon on a rainbow diet.

Unintended Gift From Family:-

I have always experienced discomfort when dealing with visitors! The moment they depart, I often seek solitude in a nice corner to hide my embarrassed self from the world because I knew what was about to come would not be easy to listen to; the atmosphere felt so extreme that I hid even when I had done nothing wrong. My session with my two dearest family members aforementioned eventually led me to stand up for myself and give the best food presentation which led our visitors into requesting me to be their personal chef — little did they know I cannot cook.

The Merits of Negative Criticism

Negative criticism, often viewed as disheartening and demotivating, proves to have merits worth considering. However, you must possess more than just resilience and should be able to navigate through the sharpness and egocentric nature of the feedback. As for me, while I had known the meaning of criticism for a long time, it was only recently that I deeply reflected on it and realized that many of the things people said to me were, in fact, considered criticism. Yes! That is true. I have been dealing with criticism my whole life unaware of my remarkable strength in it. I shall be thankful to that one girl who sang praises to me for my “tolerance.” Little did she know, at the time, I found myself employed at the ‘Not-Care Business,’ where I was the CEO of indifference, focusing only on my advancement with no time to think about others. As we were learning the sounds of letters in a new language, I persisted, considering each and every word said by my peers to degrade me. Along with time, I went from ZERO to HERO, and those individuals who may not even recall that period led me to success.

Embracing Criticism

Criticism is subjective. Regardless of the severity of others’ words, it remains your responsibility to find the silver lining within those lines. If negative criticism could really not be dealt with at any cost, then celebrities and social media influencers would have shut themselves in their homes. Criticism is not deliberate; one cannot ask to not be criticized. It is a part of your life that you must learn to deal with and appreciate as well. Not only that, but criticism is also not one-sided. “Everyone is criticized and everyone criticizes,” so you must know not to judge others while you cannot tolerate others’ judgments.