The only way to avoid hearing criticism is to be deaf or dead.
The only way to avoid being criticized is to never have been alive.
As history books have shown, even the dead can't escape criticism. So, those of us who are alive must simply learn to deal with it; even as we often try to avoid it.
As much as we hate it, criticism isn't all bad. Criticism, regardless of how it was intended, can help us adjust and adapt to situations. It can provide useful insight, justified or not, into our lives and give us the opportunity to become a better person.
Rarely do we enjoy hearing it, but criticism is a needed component for growth as a person.
There is an old Arab proverb that says, "if one person calls you a donkey, forget it. But if five people call you a donkey, buy a saddle."
Or, take a lesson, and perhaps try a different approach.
In most circumstances, you can freely ignore criticism coming from a single source, or perhaps a few dubious sources. But be careful about ignoring criticism from someone who knows you pretty intimately and is likely point out things that other people won't–or can't.
Regardless of the source, if you find yourself hearing similar criticisms from multiple avenues, it might be a good idea to take stock in what's being said. Failure to do so will only result in the same mistakes being made time and time again.
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