Taking Criticism

As a child and even now, I try to be really friendly to everyone I meet and it really bothers me when someone doesn't like me. Or doesn't like what I do. But the main thing I am learning is that there will always be someone that just doesn't like you... that criticizes you without provocation, that hurts you when you did nothing wrong, or that just doesn't like your "look". I remember being a gangly, shy girl in Middle School and coming home crying to my mom that some girl yelled at me for "giving her a dirty look" and called me a "ho". God bless me, I thought she called me a garden tool and was extremely confused. But in sixth grade, I was neither a "ho" and I sure didn't give any girl a look even remotely "dirty"... she was just a mean girl. There will always be that mean girl in your life. One that will never forgive you for something you said, one that thinks you have no talent, or one that will just be mean to you for no reason.

So accept it. Know that no matter what you do in life, there will always be someone that doesn't agree with you, doesn't like your work, doesn't like the way you dress... there will always be SOMETHING. If you let it get to you, you'll never succeed. If you let every bully out there push you into tears, you'll never shine brightly. So take every criticism in stride and smile everytime someone says something horrible to your face. This might be the hardest thing you do in life, but once you've mastered it... it surely will be your success story.