The moment you start growing, leading, and stepping into your calling, people will have something to say. Criticism isn't optional. What matters is what you do with it when it arrives.
I've experienced it in every form. Constructive feedback from mentors and clients that stings at first but ultimately sharpens something I couldn't see on my own. Emotional criticism that reflects someone else's discomfort with my growth more than anything I actually did wrong. And toxic criticism — the kind designed to tear down, not build up. That last one requires boundaries, not engagement.
What shifted for me was learning that criticism can actually be a growth tool. Some of my best systems came out of moments when someone pointed out a flaw. Some of my biggest blind spots got exposed by feedback I didn't want to hear. That doesn't make it comfortable — it makes it useful.
There have also been moments when criticism hit deeper than it should have. Feedback that triggered old insecurities, including fears rooted in a brain injury I experienced years ago that left me terrified of being seen as less than capable. Learning to recognize when a reaction is about the criticism versus about an old story I'm still carrying — that's been some of the most important work I've done.
My three tools when criticism lands: breathe before reacting, run it through a filter of truth, anchor in what I actually know about my worth. Not from applause. Not from approval. From something steadier than both.
Criticism is part of the journey. Your calling is bigger than anyone's commentary.