Handling Criticism

Handling Criticism: 6 Options to Get Through It

Everyone’s a critic, right? Everyone has an opinion, everyone’s willing to tell you what you’re doing wrong, everyone’s ready to tell you how to lead your life. To be completely honest, most of us don’t want to hear it. Whether it’s coming from Dad or the boss, we’re pretty much content to just zone out and hope that we can say, “Whatever you say,” at the right point. Even when someone’s offering up constructive criticism, it can be hard to take.

Taking criticism is a skill — and being able to learn from harsh criticism requires a pretty extreme level of proficiency. There are a few ways to build up your tolerance for criticism, though, and to move closer to that level, even if you can’t convince your critics to make the switch to a more constructive approach.

1. Ask for criticism in writing

Listening to someone go on and on about what you aren’t getting right is extremely difficult. After even just a few minutes it can take the patience of a saint to refrain from telling a critic exactly where they can put their comments. But if you can ask a critic to write down his or her comments, it’s worth the effort. You’ll have a little more distance when you go over the criticism in question (and if you decide that you aren’t going to actually read those notes, you have a little more leeway to do so). You might also find that more than a few critics will decide against the effort required to write out their thoughts.

2. Resolve valid criticism

Harsh criticism isn’t exactly a great way to motivate change, but in some cases the criticism does come about from a valid issue. If you find yourself on the receiving end of some unfriendly opinions, it’s worth finding out if such a concern is actually valid. Ask someone external to the situation for an opinion, run some numbers — whatever it takes to make a decision one way or the other. If you come to the conclusion that it isn’t valid, ignore the remarks and go do something happy. If it is valid, you may need to consider addressing it.

3. Get concrete details

One of the most frustrating types of criticism is the variety where you don’t actually get any information on what you’re supposed to change. More than a few disapproving authority figures will launch into a litany of the many things they think you’re doing wrong. If you can get them to switch to more constructive criticism, you can cut a critical conversation short with something along the lines of, “If I do this, you’ll be be happy?” Actually doing it, of course, remains up to you.

4. Head your critics off at the pass

There are some people who’s function in life seems to offer criticism, deserved or not. Of the top of your head, you can probably think of a handful of such individuals that you have to deal with. For many such critics, though, you can often redirect them to other conversations: ask them about their own projects, their families

or whatever they’re interested in. You’ll probably still get an earful or two, but if you can head off their criticism and bring the conversation around to something more comfortable, it will be easier to handle the remaining criticism.

5. Recognize that some people really don’t have anything better to do

Constructive criticism is one thing, but some people spend most of their day making harsh evaluations that aren’t exactly helpful to the recipient. It’s a fact of life, and the only way to deal with such people is generally to ignore them or deal with them. Depending on how important they are to you — ignoring a parent is rarely practical — your best option may be to just do what you can to make them happy and just wait until they leave the room to do your own things. It’s not the best of situations, but it’s an option that many people have used.

6. Keep your emotions out of it

It’s easier said than done, but responding defensively or getting emotional during a critical discussion just draws it out longer. If you’re not defensive of your behavior (whether you’re right or wrong), most critics will take that as a sign that you’re at least considering their comments — making them at least a little happier about the situation. If you can manage this sort of approach, you’ll at least get out of the discussion that much faster.

Criticism is complex: on the one hand, we want to please our supervisors, our family, our friends — all those people in a position to offer criticism. But at the same time, it’s rare that we can resolve every complaint or will want to. That means that handling critiques, rather than necessarily responding to them, is an important skill for most of us to get by.

But criticism also an issue of personality. Some people are just better equipped emotionally, to listen to an evaluation of their performance. That means that different methods of handling criticism (or outright avoiding it) are necessary, especially when avoiding the emotional aspects of criticism just doesn’t seem possible.

Anger Mangement

It is easy to become addicted. Habits provide a sense of certainty, security and stability in our lives. When we depend too much upon a habit for our sense of well being, it is easy for it to develop into an addiction.

This article offers information and specific guidelines and ridding oneself of this dangerous toxin which destroys our lives.

Addiction to anger is one of the most common and lethal addictions, and one most seldom recognized. The anger addict becomes hooked by the false sense of power anger brings. As the addiction grows, it consumes more and more of their lives, producing painful consequences.

The best way to undo an addiction is to look it squarely in the face, see what triggers it, how it functions, the false promises it offers and the huge costs we pay. The next step is to undo the lack of awareness and false thoughts the keeps the addiction alive. As we begin to take charge, we regain power back over our lives.

To begin to dissolve the addiction to anger, we must learn more about it. What function does it serve in our lives? What effect does it have?

Functions of Addictions

When we are in the grip of an addiction many troubling aspects of life are blocked out. The addiction numbs us and blocks out painful feelings and experiences that we may not wish to deal with. It prevents us from seeing and dealing with issues, which need to be attended to. At this point the addiction serves as a defense against anxiety or hopelessness.

Effects Of Addiction To Anger

When we are angry we often have a temporary feeling of strength, energy, righteousness, power, authority or control. Much like alcohol, the surge of anger, which takes over, can block out fears, inhibitions and doubts. There is a temporary sense of freedom and empowerment that we normally lack.

The sense of false power which we feel can be a defense against feeling helpless or inadequate. Of course this power is not real power. Once the anger passes individuals feel weaker and more empty than before. All the while an addiction is running, it makes the individual feel safe and secure. The reality, however, is those addictions destroy an individual’s true safety. It blinds them from doing what needs to be done to build a life of true value and stability.

Anger can also block out logical thought processes, making us feel we are absolutely right. Some individuals who have trouble making decisions can make them easily then. hese kinds of decisions rarely provide positive outcomes. Many actions that might seem unacceptable when calm seem perfectly fine when we are angry.

Anger also encourages us to blurt out negative thoughts and feelings we may have been holding in that might have better gone left unsaid. Of course, after the surge of anger passes, it is difficult to take these words back. Even if we apologize the after effects remain. Although it might have felt good to speak out while angry, a little later on when reality dawns, there is often a sense of regret. In one way or another we have to pay for what we have done.

Below are some exercises which help undo the addiction to anger and regain control over our behavior and thoughts.

Dissolving The Addiction To Anger:

1)List the times in which you feel angry or upset automatically. What person, thoughts, memory or situation brings this up? For now, just notice this and write it down. As you go through the day, if another situation strikes you, step back, notice it, and write it down as well. Rather than reacting blindly, you are now taking time to become aware. Once you become fully aware of the way anger operates in your life it will not be able to sneak up from behind.

2)Find a substitute for the automatic reaction. Instead of reacting the same old way the next time the situation arises, stop, breathe and tell yourself,
“I will not be a slave to anger anymore.” Stop and listen to the person and say to yourself, “This time I will let them be right. There’s plenty of time to be right later.” Pause and listen to what they say. See how much better you feel getting pulled down into anger again.

3)Find a new way of viewing the situation. Instead of seeing the one who angers you as an enemy, tell yourself that their anger is a cry for help. It comes out of pain and conflict within. Instead of going on the attack, say to the person (either in your mind or out loud), “What can I do to serve you?” Not only will this diffuse the anger, but will open new doors for both of you to walk through.

It is not difficult to break the addiction to anger when we understand its causes and take correct steps.