On Facing Criticism
When people criticise you for doing what you love, it’s their fault, not yours.
Last week on Substack, I encountered criticism for the first time. Since transferring my newsletter to this platform, I have lived in a delusion that the community here exudes nothing but positivity and support. While it is true for the most part, and the general environment is much more cheerful than any other social media platform I’ve ever been on, it is not safeguarded from the dark side of the internet.
Negativity has always existed in this world. Social media, and the fact that you get to be faceless and say whatever you want has made it simpler for more and more people to show up and do as they like. It’s easier for anyone to comment on your looks as they can’t be called out face-to-face. It’s easier for them to tell you that you are not doing “good enough” without knowing how much strength it took for you to even show up in the first place. It is, however, ironic that these trolls who have never met you and will probably never do, think they know your character and values better than anyone else in this world.
The truth is, when people criticise you for doing what you love, it’s their fault, not yours.
When they highlight your flaws, it’s their fault, not yours, for believing that they are perfect because frankly, nobody is.
When they tell you that your art is not “relatable enough”, it’s their fault, not yours, for having an opinion on something they have never done before and will probably never have the courage to do.
The key is to always know at the back of your head that this negativity can reach you sooner or later but to never be doubtful of who you are and what you choose to do because someone somewhere tells you that you are not worthy enough. I loved the way
phrased this in her newsletter, “You’ll be judged no matter what you do; So you might as well be judged for being you.”
I hope you remember that there is possibly no way you can please every single person on this planet.
I hope you know that you don’t have to either.
I hope you always remember that choosing to share your art with the world was never meant to please anyone else but yourself in the first place.
I hope you continue to show up and spread your light because creativity emits positivity, and it is something we need more and more of, especially in the darkness that surrounds us lately.
THIS WEEK’s RECOMMENDATIONS
I Deleted Social Media From My Phone And Was Shocked With The Results by
. A lovely read if you are thinking of doing a digital detox and need motivation for the same.In Pursuit of Money and Meaning by
. A must read, no matter what stage of life you are in at the moment.- . This post is for you if you are stuck in a loop of comparison.
If you enjoy reading Unwind, I would love it if you consider recommending the publication to your readers. Simply go to your dashboard > Recommendations > Manage > Add recommendation > Unwind.
I've often found that this sort of criticism (the type that isn't helpful) comes from people reeling from deep insecurities. It is best ignored. The people you can learn from are too busy for this kind of acidic criticism; they are also kind when approached, and will readily offer their help.
It's inevitable that we'll encounter this type that's just out to insult. It's just part of doing business. They aren't your clients, and they'll never be. These are best forgotten as soon as they're seen.
Rooting for you, the criticism will inevitably come, it’s sadly part of the process but you only let them win if it makes you stop ❤️ so don’t let them win 👏🥂