When Criticism Hurts — But You Keep Creating Anyway

Hey you,🥰

Something happened recently that I want to share.

I put my art out into the world — shared it with a room full of people. It felt bold, exciting, a little terrifying….

Then the next morning, I opened my inbox.

There it was — a message that hit me. Harsh, personal, and deeply critical. Not helpful. Not constructive. Just…personal and angry.

And for a moment, I froze. My hands were shaking. My stomach turned. I questioned myself — and my voice.

But here’s the shift:
I reminded myself why I do this.
Not for perfection.
Not for praise.
But to create. To inspire. To connect.

So I’m sharing this with you, in case you’ve felt that sting too — the kind that makes you want to shrink, disappear, or give it all up.

Here’s what I’ve learned — and what I hope lands with you:

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✨ Not everyone will understand your work — and that’s okay.

You’re not here to please everyone. You’re here to create something honest. Something that matters. And the right people? They’ll feel it in their core.

✨ Some feedback is valuable. Some is just noise.

Learn to separate the two. Clarity is your power. Protect your energy — focus on what helps you grow.

✨ Feeling hurt doesn’t mean you’re fragile — it means you care.

You're invested. That’s brave. Let the pain shape you, not shrink you. Growth often starts where it stings.

✨ You're not alone in this.

Every creator, builder, leader — anyone brave enough to show up — faces criticism. The ones who rise are the ones who keep going.

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Now, here’s a story from North Star Thinking by Will Polston that really stuck with me — maybe it’ll stick with you too:

Imagine you're in a kitchen. A carrot, an egg, and a handful of coffee beans are each dropped into boiling water.
The carrot goes in strong — and comes out soft and weakened.
The egg goes in fragile — and comes out hard and unfeeling.
But the coffee beans?
They transform the water.
They release their aroma, their richness — and turn the heat into something better.

So the question is:
🌡️ When life gets hot — who are you?
Do you let it break you down?
Do you harden up?
Or do you rise — and transform the whole experience?

That analogy changed how I see pressure.
Now, when I face criticism or discomfort, I ask:
What if this is my coffee moment?
How can I rise and release something even richer?

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I like to think that by sharing this experience — by writing this post and putting it out into the world — I’m choosing to be the coffee bean.
Turning the heat into something meaningful. Using the pressure to create something richer, deeper, and hopefully helpful to someone else.

North Star Thinking by Will Polston is a powerful read — whether you’re a creative or not. It offers practical tools to shift your mindset and reshape how you handle challenge. I’d absolutely recommend it.

So if you’re feeling shaken right now, hear this:

👉 Keep creating.
👉 Keep learning.
👉 Keep showing up — with heart, clarity, and courage.

You’re not just reacting.
You’re transforming.

And someone out there?
They need exactly what you’re creating, building, contributing — mess and all.

With love,
Rebecca x