Critics are people who don’t believe in you. So, you need to reply to them from a place of confidence but not arrogance. As is commonly said, you can take the horse to the water but you can’t make him drink. Basically, you can’t convince someone to believe in you and what you have to offer, if they are committed to not understanding.
Sometimes, the critics have a genuine concern, sometimes they can’t see your vision, and many times they operate from a place of unhealthy emotions like jealousy, prejudices, biases, injustice, negative thought patterns, unhealthy competition, diminishing view of oneself and others, isolating others, etc. However, your response needs to be based on an understanding of which place are they operating.
Remember, people respect the wise, who have the courage to live with integrity at all levels.
Discernment unlocks the next move.
If your critics have genuine concerns, then you have an opportunity to educate them, make them understand your point of view, your take on the subject, and your vision, answer their doubts, and resolve their issues. However, if some still can’t see your vision, you need to give them the space to be critical because everyone is not flexible enough to accept change new ideas, and new perspectives immediately. Give such people time and space for self-reflection and growth.
Whereas, in the case where people are operating from a place of personal insecurities, the best hack is to get distant, because these people are committed to sabotaging you by either playing mind games, practicing micro-aggressive behavior patterns, or any such acts that are meant to diminish you, etc. Whether they do it intentionally or unintentionally doesn’t make a difference, because the result will be the same. You need to protect yourself from this unhealthy environment.
In order to grow and reach your full potential, you need to give yourself a nourishing environment, where people accept you for who you really are and simultaneously give you the opportunity to grow and outgrow yourself. They need to let you make your own set of mistakes, let you slow down occasionally, let you not rush the process, etc. basically let you be you, without constantly expecting you to perform a certain way.
Power of Associations!
Associations are extremely influential to your mindset. So, it’s important to be wise and associate yourself with high-quality individuals who are self-assured to the point where they don’t feel the need to diminish others and their dreams, who share a healthy mindset, and who are committed to personal growth.
The best reply to your critics is by setting a personal example. You don’t need to respond to all their critical words and acts, just be mature enough to walk away with confidence and continue doing what you believe is the right thing to do. Remember, you teach others not just by words but by your actions too.
The best response.
You don’t need to accept other people’s malice. You can raise your standards and say to yourself and others;
I don’t accept your version of me, I will continue to be myself and believe in my potential, and work on my dreams while improving myself each step of the way.
Be You, Do You!
Self-assuredness is developed when you are confident about what you bring to the table. So, work on that and this will make some of your critics silent as they see you grow without being affected by their petty mindset and their derogatory behavior. While others who are not silenced and are still critical will soon realize their opinion does not affect you at all. Remember, people comment and talk about the player in the game and not those who are watching from the sidelines.
The best solution to any problem lies not in blaming others but in taking control of our lives in our own hands and finding solutions accordingly. You can’t change people but you can always change yourself. You can get distant from negative people and the environment and associate yourself with high-quality people and places, people who live with integrity and purpose. Remember, people who want to stay petty and engross themselves in petty behaviors will not understand your outlook on wise behavior patterns and healthy boundaries. For some people acknowledging their mistakes is equivalent to dying, their ego is so inflated that grounding them and making them humble will take a lot of time. And it’s not our duty to change people. We don’t have that sort of time. Some people only learn when they face the situation themselves, while others learn from everyone’s experiences. In other words, you can’t wake a person who is pretending to sleep.
Realize your worth!
You need to realize your worth. You need to accept that you are valuable and hold great potential within; you need to believe in yourself. You are much more powerful than you can comprehend. So, radiate your uniqueness and let your true self shine. Don’t let your insecurities, take the best of you. Insecurities like doubt, lack of confidence, fear, etc. need to be addressed in an educated way and not just superficially.
Nobody reached success without committing mistakes and errors, without making some poor choices, without deviating, without overcoming challenges and obstacles, without encountering numerous failures and criticism along the way. We need to give ourselves the acceptance of being human. Don’t focus on perfection, just thrive on improvement.
A confident person holds himself/herself accountable for their choices. They are open to accept healthy feedback and strive for improvement. They are confident to accept their mistakes and wise enough to work towards correction and improvement. They know and understand, the learner’s journey is not about never being wrong and simultaneously acknowledging the fact that people are many times mean on purpose and it’s important to discern well when it’s seriously their mistake, and when people are trying to take advantage of them or simply trying to belittle them and then they accordingly choose the best way to respond.
Criticism is the side effect of doing anything substantial. Don’t take it personally and feel less than. It is eye-opening whether it’s genuine or simply carried out to pull you down. In all case scenarios, it is educating and enlightening, if looked at it from the right perspective. It’s personal strength that reveals itself in how you address criticism — with confidence or collapse as a result of it. Choose wisely.
