Recently, a loved one told me that my writing doesn’t resonate with anyone, because I’m not a very good writer.

Ouch!

Criticism is always tough, and this stung quite a bit. I think I did what a lot of us do when someone is brutally honest with their opinion.

I started having doubts.

I started having doubts about my writing abilities and about myself in general. Like the picture above, it felt like all of these fingers were pointing in my direction. The difference is that the fingers weren’t by others. They were by me.

Isn’t it interesting how one person’s opinion can cause us to spiral and question a lot about ourselves?

To be fair, I know I’m not a great writer. That’s why I read what others have written. It’s why I take classes on writing. It’s why I continue to put myself out. I keep practicing in public, because I enjoy the writing craft itself.

But to say that my writing resonates with no one?

That’s when the script started to flip in my head.

I’ve always had the mentality that if my writing resonates with even one person, then it has done its job. And more often than not, at least one person reads what I’ve written and I get an occasional comment.

Once the initial pain subsided, the finger pointing stopped, and I reflected that the person’s opinion about my writing might be more telling about them than about me.

Constructive criticism I can handle. Criticism out of spite isn’t about me, and this was spiteful.

Taking a step back to realize that helped me put it into perspective and soon the doubts dissipated.

I enjoy writing, and I will keep doing it. No one can stop that.

And I hope you remember that too. There are going to be the naysayers in your personal world that attempt to tear you down. As long as you’re enjoying what you do, then you do you, friend.

I’m cheering for you.