Constructive criticism is acceptable, but some people are so relentlessly negative that they can suck the joy out of life. No matter what happy news you might have, they are guaranteed to find the cloud to fit your silver lining.

Here are six strategies you can use to deal with hypercritical people.

• Do Not Take It Personally

It is a safe bet that it is not you. It is them. Some people hug their negativity around them like a security blanket, and it colors their view of the world. They criticize everything because that suits them. Watch how they treat other people. It is guaranteed they attack everybody, not just you.

• Listen to The Message

Is the person obscuring the message? Maybe your critical colleague or friend is disrespectful or bad at expressing themselves rather than being mean. Try to see past the messenger to understand what is said. Otherwise, you might miss out on some valuable advice.

• Accept the Feedback

You can decide to take crucial feedback on its own merits. That is, as a source of honest feedback. At least with hypercritical people, what you see is what you get! If you can see past the blunt delivery, you may be able to find a kernel of truth that can improve the way you do things.

• Deal with Your Discomfort

Criticism never feels good. Try to read your discomfort as another source of information about what is said. Does the negative feedback trigger a recognition deep within you? Maybe it subconsciously reminds you of a past event, but perhaps there is a ring of truth in the criticism. Sit with your discomfort and see what it is telling you.

• If You Can Not Take the Heat, Stay Out of the Kitchen

If you can not stand criticism, it is up to you not to get into situations with people who are likely to criticize you. Please do not ask for advice or expose yourself to their negativity. They will not change, so you need to take control and avoid such conversations. Do not share good news if you know they will throw cold water on it, do not seek their praise if you know you will not get it.

• Stay Out of Their Way

You have a choice about how to deal with negative people. You can decide not to engage with their negativity, and you can ignore them or avoid them altogether. For example, if you must contact a negative person at work, be helpful but do not engage with them. Otherwise, it is up to you whether you want to have any contact with such negativity or not.

I hope these articles on the benefits of criticism and how to handle negativity will help you if you have trouble accepting criticism. Over the next two days, I will post quotes or tips for you.

Until the next time, stay safe, and keep the faith.