“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) Growing up, I’ve had a great amount of people give me criticism, both positive and negative. Some of those people being family, friends, teachers, and even people I didn’t know. I haven’t always known how to accept criticism. I was like most others, often taking negative comments much worse than the positive ones.
It is easy to be receptive to positive criticism but learning how to embrace and accept negative criticism as being constructive was a challenge for me, but a great one that I have grown to appreciate. Positive criticism generally points out the good and may offer some pointers as to what can be done differently to make an improvement. When someone gives you positive criticism, you are left feeling encouraged to do better the next time. Because of this, it is often welcomed with open arms.
When it comes to negative criticism, people are more resistant to accept those comments because they can be taken as judgmental or demeaning, leaving the person receiving the criticism feeling discouraged. I personally try to offer positive criticism in all things or provide negative criticism in the most respectful and non-judgmental way I can because I know how it feels to receive negative criticism that is more hurtful than helpful. It took a great deal of growing up for me to realize that you have to find something good in everything and not take everyone’s opinion as them being hateful or trying to hurt you.
As referenced above, Winston Churchill makes a great point that not everyone will agree with the criticism they receive but it is necessary. Criticism, whether it be positive or negative, is necessary for a person to change and for a person to grow. I’m sure that everyone can attest to the fact that they have been criticized by someone at some point in their life. Even though negative criticism does not always feel good, it causes you to take time and consider what the other person has said. Churchill compares criticism to the function of pain in the human body.
When you experience pain in the body, it is letting you know that there is a problem somewhere causing that pain. When someone offers criticism, they are bringing your attention to something that they noticed was wrong or could be made better in their opinion. As I have matured as a person, there are some skills that I use that have helped me to handle all types of criticism. When criticism is offered, I first take a step back and listen in order to avoid jumping to conclusions. I try my best not to react without a clear understanding of what is trying to be conveyed.
I have noticed that when I do this, I am able to pick out the positives instead of focusing on the negatives. Another skill that I use is listening to music. If criticism is offered that I do not necessarily agree with, I let the other person give their opinion and I remove myself from the situation and listen to music to calm me down so I won’t over react. In times like this, I listen to songs that put me in a good mood so I can refocus my attention and try to find something good in what I was criticized on.
Of all the things that I do to handle criticism, most importantly I take the experience as an opportunity to grow. I respectfully thank the person for their comments and then analyze the criticism to see what suggestions I will use to improve for the next time around. Taking a look back at the past, I can say if I knew then what I know now things would be a lot different, but then I have to ask myself, “what would I have learned if things were different? ” or “How would I have acquired the things that were necessary for me to learn in order to become the woman I am today if that hadn’t happened? “.
Every positive and negative input I’ve ever gotten from anyone has made me the person I am today and I am truly grateful for that. I now understand the importance of criticism. I thank God and everyone who gave their opinion to me for making me realize that everything you do is not always going to be perfect and that there may be a better way of doing things than what you are used to. Through my criticism, I have realized that you may go through obstacles, but it’s the good things that will get you through those tough obstacles. I believe that if people took advice as much as they gave it, the world would be a better place.
