Staying on course: how to handle criticism

In a world where criticism and feedback are ubiquitous, it's important to know how to handle negative feedback to preserve our mental health. Criticism, whether justified or not, can affect our self-confidence and emotional well-being by generating stress and anxiety. It can discourage us, make us doubt our abilities, and even hinder us in achieving our personal and professional goals. However, learning to manage these responses constructively can help us move forward and turn these experiences into growth opportunities.

It begins by knowing how to distinguish constructive criticism from counterproductive criticism. Constructive criticism aims to provide specific and useful suggestions to improve a project or performance. It is well-intentioned and offers precise points for improvement. Conversely, easy or counterproductive criticism is often vague, non-constructive, and ends up demoralizing or discouraging without offering concrete solutions. Making this distinction allows us to recognize which criticisms deserve our attention and time.

To determine the nature of feedback, ask yourself questions such as: "Is this criticism accompanied by specific suggestions?", "Does the critic have a clear understanding of my project?", or "Does this criticism provide me with a new and useful perspective?". By analyzing criticism from this angle, you can choose to ignore comments that offer nothing concrete and focus on those that can help you improve. For more on this topic, you can refer to the article "10 Questions to identify constructive criticism".

Working daily to strengthen your mental resilience allows you to calmly welcome criticism. Meditation, deep breathing, and mindfulness exercises can help reduce stress and remain centered when facing negative feedback. These techniques allow you to develop a calm and resilient mind, which will help you approach criticism with a constructive rather than defensive mindset.

You can also practice self-compassion. This encourages you to recognize your efforts and successes and allows you, even in the face of criticism, to maintain a positive self-esteem. Instead of focusing solely on the errors or negative aspects highlighted by criticism, remember your progress and the challenges you've overcome.

Knowing how to set boundaries protects you from incessant negative criticism. It's important to recognize when a person or situation begins to affect your mental and emotional well-being. Setting boundaries allows for a healthy balance between critical feedback and the preservation of mental...