23-106 Getting Better All The Time #1

Today’s Mandala Message: Welcome Improvement Opportunities

This week I’m working through Principles #19 and #20 from Jack Canfield’s “The Success Principles” entitled “Use Feedback to Your Advantage” and “Commit to Constant and Never-Ending Improvement”, respectively. I set my intention today to ponder the idea of improvement opportunities (ie…feedback). Canfield talks about two types of feedback: negative and positive. About the dreaded negative feedback, he states “I like to refer to negative feedback as information about ‘improvement opportunities.’ The world is telling me where and how I can improve what I am doing. Here is a place I can get better.”

Having grown up in a highly critical environment, negative feedback usually equated to me being wrong, that I did something bad, and that I must be a terrible person (ie…not good enough, unlovable, blah blah blah). Over the years I’ve grown to being more open to negative feedback. But for me it depends on the source. I find it’s easier to accept if it’s coming from someone I respect, someone who knows what they’re talking about, or someone I know who truly wants to help me. I’ve also learned that if the feedback is not helpful, I thank the person for sharing and let it go.

Just last week someone wanted to offer feedback on a video I posted. At first I froze and wanted to say “no, thank you” but some other place inside me said “take the feedback”. I’m glad I followed through on that voice because the person gave me valuable feedback on ways I could improve on my future videos. I realize now that when I allow myself to be open to feedback and see it as a way to help me, the more objective I can be instead of being defensive.

So how about you? Do you welcome feedback? How do you handle negative feedback? How do you handle positive feedback?

“One of the things I’ve learned
is to be receptive of feedback.”

— Ben Silbermann

Blessings,

Maureen
The Mandala Lady
All Things Mandalas

An Invitation

I invite you to color along with me this year as part of what I’m calling “The Year of Self-Exploration and Expansion” with all of my “Mandalas of the ___” (day, week, month, year). If you’re interested in more of a self-exploration approach to coloring, check out my “Coloring Mandalas as Meditation”. You can download this mandala at MandalaoftheWeek.com.