Thoughts on taking criticism and cultivating humility
This has been one of the more challenging years of my life.
I put myself out on social media and talked publicly about sensitive issues that touched a lot of nerves with different people.
Some people were inspired and aided by the topics I wrote about and shared. Some were triggered and upset. It was a mixed bag. In reality, I got way more support than criticism. But because of my negativity bias and my own fear of judgement, I paid a lot more attention to the criticism, and it hurt. There were days I wanted to crawl into a hole and never come out. I didn't want to hear anyone's opinion about me or about my content.
What’s been interesting for me is that even though this was one of the toughest years, it’s also been the most transformative and rewarding. Learning how to receive tough criticism and have the humility to actually HEAR it, and to USE it to make oneself better is one of the best qualities you can cultivate, and I’ve been fortunate enough to get a lot of opportunities practice this year. I've also learned a lot about speaking my truth, and letting go of the need to please everyone.
I’m by no means perfect, and I have many blind spots. I hope to continue to have the humility to take in what people say and reflect on it without getting defensive. To grow and learn how to be more well-informed. At the same time, I hope I can continue to speak my truth, to trust myself and my own experience, and to use that to help people who have been through what I've been through.
If you’ve called me out on something or criticized me this year, I thank you. Whether I agree with it or not, it taught me something, and has made me stronger. And if you’ve supported me, I thank you also. You have no idea how much it means and how far it goes when I get a message of support and encouragement.
I've taken a break from talking about the porn stuff for now, while I recenter and rebalance my own energy. However, I promise to not give up on all you out there who are struggling with this addiction. We need more healthy discussions around the impact and role of porn in our lives, and I hope to be a part of that conversation.
Much love to you all. 🙏