1. SECURE YOUR SELF-WORTH
The truth is you will experience negative and positive criticism as a woman entrepreneur. My recommendation is that you perceive both as constructive criticism. You will also experience setbacks and failure in life, this too is a good thing.
Remember, it’s not what happens in life that matters, what matters is how you react to life’s circumstances. And this is part of the process because you are putting yourself out there.
People will criticize you in a good and bad way. Be ready, and expect it to happen!
It’s good stuff because it’s strengthening your character, and you can learn from both. Have a flexible mindset and take both with a grain of salt.
So what do you do when someone makes a negative comment?
Be ready, and have a plan warrior!
So much can happen, and it’s better to be prepared.
Here are some examples of what may happen when the unexpected hits you at your core:
- What will you do when someone makes a negative remark about you in front of others?
- What will do you when the person you’ve loved with all your heart, cheats behind your back?
- What do you do when you experience a big financial setback?
- What do you do when you pour your heart, sweat, tears into a project and no one buys?
“My recommendation is that you approach your specific situation with a different lens.”
Please know, that I completely understand what you are going through. And trust me, I get it, criticism, setbacks or failure can be so painful that it basically paralyzes you.
You want to give up, tap out, and QUIT!
So what do you do?
Proceed by doing the following; take a DEEP breath, inhale the good, and exhale the bad.
Stay rational and don’t get emotionally invested. This is the difference between a mature individual or one that is manipulated.
Will you be mature? Or will you be manipulated?
Remove yourself away from the target, literally and figuratively speaking. Know when to be assertive and when to be aggressive.
If you’ve been attacked through a negative comment, most of the time, they are projecting their insecurities and you have something they don’t have.
Let me remind you, that you WILL NOT be anybody’s punching bag. Don’t forget you are a warrior and you must secure your self-worth at all costs.
Start by focusing on your self-respect.
Double down and secure your self-worth by respecting yourself. You’ve just been duped in some way, shape or form so self-respect is a high-priority and your mission.
Please remember that during these raw, critical moments how you perceive the situation will speak volumes about your character.
- If somebody makes a negative remark, simply respond with confidence, “Oh, thanks, appreciate the feedback!” and let it go!
- If somebody betrays you? It’s their insecurities they are trying to project onto you. Remember, they don’t have that power to make you feel inferior.
- If you experience a financial setback? Know deep in your heart that you can bounce back even better! It will not derail you.
- If you have experienced a business setback, analyze what went wrong? It’s not your product, maybe it’s your marketing?
Secure your self-worth now by expecting these challenging circumstances in the future. Don’t be naive, because they will unfortunately happen. Just be prepared.
Life is unpredictable and you have to be prepared.
When negative criticism strikes, shift into a positive stance.
A positive stance helps you safeguard your self-respect with a defensive posture. You know someone is making a low jab which is a cheap shot so you countermove with a strategic blow.
Your strategic blow is how you will respond. Be careful because naysayers can elicit a strong response.
Remember that criticism, setbacks or failure does not define you. Moreover, it is not an indication of who you are, what you are worth, and what you stand for.
And yes, depending on your situation, it will be painful. I am by no means trying to sugar coat the feelings associated with this circumstance.
So why do naysayers do this?
- They are scared
- They fear loss
- They’re afraid of being alone
- They fear change
- They fear being judged
- They are threatened by you
So what do you do?
You are a wonderful human being who is conscientious unlike the naysayer. They are unconscious beings operating at an unfulfilled level. Some of them live tormented lives.
You, however, know better, and you channel this negativity so that it fuels you and it serves you.
What do I mean by that?
You allow this learning experience to catapult you forward.
That’s right, it’s just a little bump on the road and it’s fueling you even more to keep going.
This is the difference between a warrior and a worrier.
- A warrior does not give her power to those who seek to control her.
- A worrier is misled by external criticism, and gives up when the going gets tough.
You are a beautiful human being with so much to offer.
You live with distinction, honor your emotions, and know when to heal as you secure your self-worth.
Give yourself the self-respect you deserve by paying close attention to what you need.
Cultivate self-respect by reminding yourself who you are, what you stand for, and what you value.
A lot of people self-destruct because they haven’t taken the time to clarify their values.
A lack of core values or principles will not empower you to establish clear boundaries in life.
So what are your core values?
What principles guide you so you can strengthen your character and develop resiliency to life’s circumstances?
As you build your self-respect know when to be on the offensive and defensive.
“In other words, be adaptive and have the mental agility to embrace the chaos.”
As you cultivate your self-worth be mindful of the negativity.
Negativity can keep you stagnant because you are stressed out and possibly overthinking. This negativity, if uncontrolled can steal your joy and will manifest in other areas of your life.
Don’t get defensive, and even though you are a warrior, ONLY strike when necessary.
Stay in the fight by establishing self-respect and secure your self-worth now through self-care rituals.
These rituals will help you structure wellness habits that will reinforce your self-respect so you can bounce back unscathed.
2. SEEK THE LESSON, AND ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY
Accept responsibility for what has happened to you. According to Dr. Stephen Covey, “Seek first to understand, then to be understood.”
Don’t make assumptions about what is happening to you.
Don’t judge the person, hardship or situation; rather, you must develop a strong desire to understand.
So keep digging and find the lesson.
Accepting responsibility enables us to take control of the situation. By taking control, you understand that life doesn’t happen to you, it happens for you!
In my opinion, this is a detrimental factor that is affecting people all over the world. People do not accept responsibility.
Don’t fight what you can’t control.
“Your reaction in accepting responsibility and seeking the lesson is far greater than the disappointment. So look for the gold!”
Seek the lesson and it will arm you with a broader perspective.
Be a warrior and not a worrier and use fierce focus to seek the lesson, and adapt to change.
Adapting to change will help you override any discomfort you may be experiencing.
My recommendation is that you do the following immediately.
- Plan now and be prepared for future difficulties and disappointments.
- Destiny favors the prepared, so get comfortable with uncomfortable situations, people and circumstances.
- This will help you in your personal relationships and business.
- Change your perspective on how you view failure.
- Failure is the best teacher in life and there is no shame in what you’ve experienced so keep your head up.
Failure is a necessary component of growth, because it will make things so much better.
It will teach you a lesson or raise awareness about necessary changes you need to make.
Seek to learn what didn’t work and immediately move forward.
- Accepting responsibility is learning to expect more setbacks and failure.
- Ignoring responsibility disrupts momentum, and stifles your resiliency.
Which will you choose?
As you acquire a new perspective for what has happened, segue into personal growth.
3. SEGUE INTO PERSONAL GROWTH
Learn how successful people bounce back from failure.
What coping mechanisms can you add to your arsenal that will help you build mental, physical and emotional toughness?
- How can you stay in the fight so you can bounce back with confidence and clarity?
- How do you eliminate self-limiting beliefs so you don’t repeat destructive patterns?
- How do you survive and thrive?
One of the best weapons you can add to your arsenal is the weapon of personal growth.
Personal growth is achieved by understanding your mindset.
Mental toughness gives you the core skills for dealing with personal relationships, leading in business, and maintaining a calm demeanor.
Personal growth is on-going training and you must self-analyze where you stand.
Self-analyzing yourself is essential to self-improvement.
This will also help you to develop creative thinking skills so what are you waiting for?
Become a student of life and invest in yourself.
Seeking personal growth will help you sharpen your sword.
Sharpen your sword by educating yourself. Go to seminars, get a coach, or learn something new.
“When you learn something new, you forge new pathways in your brain and you arm yourself with flexibility.”
As a woman entrepreneur and as a warrior, you gain a positional advantage.
Be prepared, SMILE, and bounce back by understanding your weaknesses and vulnerabilities.
Invest in someone who will teach you how to take your life and business to the next level.
4. SELECT LIKE-MINDED PEOPLE
Avoid complacency and defeat! Surround yourself with empowering people. Like-minded people who genuinely love and support you unconditionally.
Genuine people will fill up your love tank and strengthen your temperament to help you cope with uncertainty.
And when your love tank is FULL you will have the flexibility of mind to deal with toxic people and disorderly situations.
So what must you do?
Choose your community, friends, and the people you expose yourself to wisely.
Don’t become a negative Nancy, choose to become a supercharged Sandy.
Supercharge yourself by selecting your sphere of influence wisely.
Your ability to do this will empower you with a willingness to act with boldness.
Because you find a way to stay sharp, you don’t become a victim of life’s circumstances, you become a victor.
As you experience more setbacks, you will build moral courage because people are watching you.
Moreover, you know you are influencing somebody every step of the way.
And let me be real, depending on your situation or circumstance, sometimes we have to fight back (literally and figuratively speaking).
When this happens, proceed by understanding your enemy’s thought processes so you can single out his weaknesses.
In business, this can also be your competitor.
Understand his weaknesses so you can set him up for defeat.
Unfortunately, not everybody thinks like you or has your same values.
This is one of the reasons why you’ve been betrayed because someone took advantage of the beautiful things you had to offer.
Empowering people are strong people that understand their self-worth, and spirituality is their superior strength.
When you empower yourself with loving individuals, you gain clarity in disrupting unnecessary mental chatter.
This loving, like-minded community, can help you overcome an indecision when you are psychologically impacted.
They will love you, support, and heal you from within.
Community is everything so surround yourself with people who elevate your worth not degrade your standards.
5. SMILE, & SHAPE RESILIENCY
Smile, seek a solution to your challenge, and be decisive with your next move.
Successful decisions lead to great gains in life; whereas, failure can lead to dreadful losses.
But don’t be afraid and don’t let this stop you. Become one with failure and understand that failure leaves clues.
My recommendation is that you display an irresistible bias for action.
What do I mean by this?
Don’t sit around feeling sorry for yourself.
Commit to your decisions and step outside your comfort zone.
Taking selfless action should be your default state of mind.
You solve the problem by smiling, making a decision and failing forward.
When dealing with personal issues or business conflict, hone in on your mental toughness and exude assertiveness.
Assertiveness will help you focus on the cure, not the disease.
As a warrior, you are responsible for the energy and atmosphere you create and it starts with yourself.
Master yourself through mental toughness and be assertive.
Ambitious leaders expect more setbacks and failures in life.
Take bigger chances on yourself, create solutions, and move forward.
Stay in the fight by strengthening and shaping your resilience.
How you shape your resilience makes a big difference and you need to bounce back from difficult situations.
Remember, learn from these challenging circumstances and secure your self-worth.
Know what your vulnerabilities may be and protect them at all costs.
As you experience more, increase valuable resources and surround yourself with quality people.
“Stay ahead by learning something new. If you are not learning something new, you are falling behind.”
One of the best ways to solve any problem, is to ask yourself powerful questions, and then lead by example.
Show people what needs to happen by leading your life and business the right way.
Life is about change, and you will remove yourself away from toxic people if you wish to live a better life.
Seek wise counsel from those who know more than you.
Live and lead with integrity. Be courageous and be willing to set the example despite conflict, setbacks or failure.
Wanna learn more? Reach out to me and share what you may be going through. Don’t allow this negativity to derail you.
It’s constructive criticism and there’s something you can learn from it and move forward. Click here so we can connect and take advantage of a complimentary call so you can move forward.