“Honest criticism is hard to take, particularly from a relative, friend, acquaintance, or stranger.”
(Franklin P. Jones)

In theory, we all know we could stand to improve in certain areas, but hearing other people tell us can throw us for a loop. Especially when we don’t see it coming. For this reason, most of us avoid doing the very thing that’ll not only make these remarks easier to take, but eliminate the need for many of them in the first place. What is that one thing? Simple…we ask people we trust to give us feedback.

It will hurt at first, that’s for sure. Especially if we haven’t done such an exercise in a while. Thankfully, though, like jogging, it gets easier the more you do it. And thankfully, just like lifting weights, we grow stronger the more we do it. When we learn to seek out this type of honest criticism from those closest to us, and then listen without defending ourselves, we grow both ourselves and our relationships with those people.

Be careful, though; don’t ask people how you could improve and then tell them they’re wrong. That’s even worse than never asking in the first place. This doesn’t mean agree with everything they say; it just means don’t bite the hand that feedbacks you.

(Sorry for the pun.)

Peace begins with pause,