*raises hand*
Yes, I'm one of those people who used to take every little criticism to heart.. in fact I still over think comments and MAKE them all about me! I know, how important am I?!?! Part of this journey has been to learn how to handle criticism properly... It comes in all shapes and forms and its very easy to throw you off balance... and depending who is dishing it out it can cut you to the bone...
Maybe my skin is getting a little thicker now but I tend to let it slide 95% of the time...
I know the comments are coming from a place of love and it's the only way that my family can deal with it... it's not meant in a malicious way... but from experience I can tell you... over reacting on my part hasn't helped one bit.. I've been called oversensitive now because I make a stand... but its OK I'm still on my track...
When it's something hurtful... then I do address it, unless it's from a stranger who I don't ever have to deal with again... without the tears (most of the time...) but I've made a stand about negativity... At a party recently I told a family member if she couldn't say something positive about me then I didn't want to hear it... she was stunned but the comments have stopped! I didn't fight with her... I didn't give her a hard time.. I just asked her in a very nice way to stop!
My advice when someone says something out of line... stay calm... sometimes the criticism comes from a good place... but the tone in which it is delivered is the problem... people often think they're being helpful and wonder what happened when you lose the plot! Think about why they said it... it may have come from a place of love, they may be worried about you and your health, they know you're miserable and don't know how to fix it... so they think by telling you to go on a diet might solve it.. and rather than pounce defensively... breath... and consider your response... if they've been really tactless then tell them that... but it can be the only response from some people, who honestly don't know what to say... they've never been to fat camp... they're not sure what to say and they're worried about you and love you... and it's blurted out in a tone that just makes you wonder if they even know who you are! If it's not from a place of love kill em with kindness and know you're a better person than they are! x
