A Writer's feedback

The friend I almost pushed away!

There is this friend of mine who always reacts to my posts. Anytime I share content on any of my social platforms, she is either in my comment section or in my private messages. Not to praise me, but to point out what I did wrong.

She always finds a fault every time I make a post. It made me angry and often led to misunderstandings. Most times, I tried to caution my mind and overlook it just so I wouldn’t work myself up.

I felt like she never had anything good to say about my work.

One day, I couldn’t hold it in anymore. I asked her,
“Is it only to find fault that you know how to do?
Can’t you ever say something good about my content?
Must you always criticize?
Can’t you praise me just once?”

After that conversation, something changed.
She stopped giving me feedback.

And to my surprise, I missed it.

That silence forced me to pause and reflect. I asked myself a hard question.
“Isn’t this my friend also part of my audience?”

And if she takes her time to read my content and respond, isn’t she trying to help me build my brand the same way she would build hers?

That was when my understanding shifted.

I realized that criticism is not always an attack. Sometimes, it is the attention we need.

Criticism shows the blind spots most of us can’t see. When criticized, you are forced to rethink your ideas, sharpen your message and grow beyond your comfort zone.

While praise feels good, criticism builds skill. Since then, I’ve learned to see feedback as a tool.

One that helps me improve, refine my voice and take my work seriously.

Now, when it comes, I listen before conclusion. Because the goal is not just to feel good, but to become better.

How do you feel when your work is being criticized?