Feedback Thoughts

Critical feedback is one of the most valuable things when it comes to helping us learn, grown, and improve. Taking critical feedback is hard, especially if it's not presented in a nice and constructive way. That's why I enjoyed reading Why It's So Hard to Hear Negative Feedback by Tim Herrera. This article discusses why both receiving and giving negative feedback can be difficult. Herrera suggests that the negative connotation around negative feedback (no pun intended) is one big reason why we tend to avoid it rather than confront it. All parties, giving and receiving, should be participating in both positive and negative feedback in a way that is honest, open, and intended to improve performance. Acknowledge that negative feedback is not simply a bad review, but rather an opportunity for future improvement. If we lived in a perfect world, everyone would deal with negative feedback this way! Wouldn't that be nice?

Image Source. From Rick Hanson's How to Get Past
Negativity Bias in Order to Hardwire Positive Experiences

I also really enjoyed Dr. Rick Hanson's How to Get Past Negativity Bias in Order to Hardwire Positive Experiences.  Dr. Hanson "HEAL" process talks about ways that we can keep positive thoughts at the forefront of our mind despite negative external stimuli. My philosophy has always been based on the law of attraction, which says if you are constantly thinking negative thoughts and experiencing bad feelings, this will attract more "bad" things to you. On the contrary, good, positive thoughts and feelings tend to attract more "good". This is the power of the brain and I really do believe the way you think about things impacts the way your life unfolds. Dr. Hanson's advice can improve the way we think about anything usually seen as bad, negative feedback being one of those things.