Written by: Sara Loureiro, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Have you ever stopped yourself from posting something for your business or even launching your business in the first place out of the fear that you will be judged?
It turns out the vast majority of entrepreneurs either feel this way or have felt this way at some point in time in their journey, so you’re not alone! After coaching hundreds of entrepreneurs on this subject I’ve been able to find an easy way to not only squash their fear of criticism but to become motivated by our toughest critics. If you want to obliterate your fear of what other people think of you and use that same energy for good, read on!
1. Understand that this is an innate human nature
Human beings are hardwired to belong. We love being a part of communities and seek a sense of connection with other people so it’s only natural that you will feel the need to be liked by others. The first step to change any thought pattern is awareness. Seeking belonging is a completely normal and nature human behaviour
2. Human beings are incredibly diverse
Did you know that there are over 6,000 languages spoken in this world and over 4,000 religions? Not to mention nationalities, interests, sexual orientation and opinions about every single thing you might stand for. Yikes, that’s a whole lot of disagreeing right there! One of the best things I’ve ever heard that has really helped me with this fear is understanding that someone else might say the sky is green because it could very well look green to them! We all see and process things differently and that’s ok
3. It will only bother you as much as you believe it
This is probably the hardest part of dealing with criticism-- let’s say you’ve always been really tall and were bullied as a child. If someone comes up to you and laughs at you saying that you’re short, you wouldn’t care! But if they said you were tall, it would strike a previous wound. The way we receive criticism matters more than the criticism we receive. When we fully love and accept ourselves unconditionally, receiving criticism becomes so much easier because we’ve already healed those parts of ourselves that someone is attempting to injure. So case in point-- the more sure you can be of your own opinions and what you stand for, the less you’ll be swayed by the criticisms of others
4. Know that someone out there needs to hear your opinion
If you feel a certain way about something and you're afraid of talking about it because you’re afraid of the backlash chances are there are many more people who also either are afraid of speaking up or NEED to hear your opinion to help them. Like I said before, human beings are so incredibly diverse! Someone out there needs what YOU have and by you speaking up you can change their life
5. Not everyone needs to like you
You can have two people who read your message and one can find it completely offensive and disempowering while the other can find it to be the most inspiring thing they’ve ever heard. The more you grow in your business the more you’ll start to accumulate critics. This is a sign that you’re growing and becoming visible enough to truly make an impact in the world
Remember that what someone else says about you has so much more to do with them than it has with you. It’s their perception of who you are but it doesn’t need to be your own. When you start to do more inner growth and acceptance you’ll start to understand that your critics will always be there whether or not you go after what you want. So, the only thing left to do is allow yourself to go all-in with your own message and understand that when you have a lot of critics, you’re growing enough to actually make a difference both for other people and for your wallet!
Sara Loureiro, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Sara is a Soulful Business Coach who specializes in helping online service-based entrepreneurs sign-on higher-paying clients and hit 6-7 figures through a combination of strategic marketing, neurolinguistic programming, and energetic work. After bringing her own business to 6 figures and quitting her 9-5 to move from Toronto to sunny and tropical Nicaragua, she isn't shy about walking the talk and living a freedom-based life. She is the CEO of sarajloureiro.com and has inspired thousands of women all over the world to quit their 9-5s, step into their leadership, and do purpose-driven work while getting paid abundantly for it through her numerous free training, extensive social media presence, and her work as the host of "The Uplevel Your Online Business Show" podcast. Her mission: to inspire women to take up space, make more money and step into their fullest potential.
