Criticism.
What kind of ring does the word above have to you? Is it negative? It's probably because you are among those that have the inability to take criticism well. Is it positive? It's probably because you are used to it and constantly take the initiative to improve yourself upon any types of criticism being directed at you. I applaud you for having that effort.
To those who have the inability to take criticism, let me give you an advice. In this life, we cannot remain static and be stuck in our old ways. We are not perfect human beings. No one is. When you are being criticized, it is meant for you to improve so that you won't repeat the same mistake. Now, let's think about this, would you rather have other people saying behind your back that you are incompetent over and over again because you think the criticism doesn't apply to you and hence thinking that improvement is not needed? Of course not. The advantage of hearing & receiving criticism is so that you can improve. Do constant reflections of what must be done and what must not be repeated.
An acquaintance of mine had once said, the inability to take criticism is an indicator of idiocy. Well, I couldn't agree more. Would you like to be rendered as a senseless human being? I think not. Nobody does.
Now, maybe some of you who are reading this might think 'she's talking about accepting criticism but can she handle the criticisms herself?'. Don't underestimate me please. I might sound arrogant in the next sentence (and in the previous one as well lol) but I'm going to say it anyway. I have mentally and emotionally trained myself to accept any criticism being directed at me until it has become naturally for me to accept them. After that, I do some reflections in my head. I could spend some alone time or go for a solo walk just to reflect upon them. I value self-improvement. I strive for it. This results in my annoyance toward those who refuse to take criticism positively. But I have to remind myself that some are still not used to it and I should give them a chance.
It's sad to see that the I live in a society where the people in them generally have the inability to take criticism positively. *cough* politicians *cough* All they see in criticism is insult. *cough* which results in paying fine or prison sentence *cough* Well, there are some who tend to criticize harshly but if we consider them positively, they are actually constructive. I don't deny that our society has have heard phrases like 'take criticism positively' or 'strive for self-improvement'. We hear them, we say them, but do we really apply them in our lives? It may be hard at first knowing that people thought you are incapable of something or people saying that you have a negative trait that you weren't aware of all this while. Well, at least you have already been informed about it. So, it's your call.
To enable a society to accept and appreciate criticism is to teach those young ones to look at it positively and be proactive in self-improvement. As a future mother and teacher, I vow to myself to teach this value to those who are under my care.
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