Any person has many fears that noticeably prevent him from living normally, communicating, developing and achieving his goals. One of the most striking examples of this is the fear of criticism. The fear of what others will say or think is a serious internal barrier for any person. Despite the fact that this obstacle exists within, there are so-called external manifestations of fear of criticism. Let's consider them in more detail.
Lack of initiative
Passivity in any new endeavors suggests that a person is simply afraid that he may be condemned or criticized. For example, someone is going to learn how to roller skate. However, one casually thrown phrase from relatives or acquaintances like "Why do you need it?" or "You will look ridiculous!" can completely discourage the desire to do something.
Shyness
Shyness, stiffness, tightness - all these are manifestations of fear of criticism. Outwardly, this manifests itself in angular, constrained movements, avoiding eye contact. Strangers, new surroundings, unexpected and non-standard situations, in general, any way out of the comfort zone is very difficult.
Failure to Express Your Opinion
Fear of criticism forces one to agree almost everywhere and always with what others say or think. This is the version of an obedient child who sits and modestly waits for his parents to let him speak or go to play. When a person is unable to state his position in a conversation, he is afraid of condemnation or what may seem ridiculous, violate social norms.
Inability to say no
This is one of the most key points. To express your disagreement with the opinion of another person is to outline your boundaries, to establish certain rules and principles of what is allowed and what is not. Due to the fear of criticism, a person with weak boundaries will allow others to invade their personal zone, paying for this with their time, space, emotions.
How can you resist the fear of criticism?
Fear is always associated with a sense of threat, as if someone might be causing harm, physical or mental. The fear of criticism is no worse, since it is based on the fear of damage to the boundaries of one's own personality. However, this threat is in most cases apparent.
A person who criticizes or condemns is often not at all going to destroy the personality of the interlocutor. The first seeks to convey to him some information about what he did wrong or what caused a negative reaction.
Criticism should be taken as feedback, and not as a desire to humiliate or insult you. It contains valuable information about the needs and values of the interlocutor. The latter can often suggest an effective way of how to solve a problem or change your behavior in order to achieve a set goal. In this case, he turns from an aggressive accuser into an assistant with whom you can cooperate.
Criticism will frighten anyone as long as he perceives it as something harmful, capable of destroying his personality. But as soon as he sees in her a tool for improving and educating himself, it will magically make his life calmer, and his relationships with people more comfortable and productive.
In this case, the criticizing person turns into a friend and helper, and not a strict and formidable parent, whose displeased voice often continues to sound somewhere in the depths of the subconscious. Defeating the fear of criticism is akin to overcoming some kind of internal barrier that opens up huge opportunities and resources for growth and development.
