Would you want someone to tell you when you have food in your teeth, when your tags are inside out of your shirt, and when you have toilet paper hanging from your shoes? I would. A lot of times, I’d like to think ‘I don’t care what people think or say about me,’ but deep down, the majority of us all care. As humans, we crave connection, and it’s natural to have concern for others’ opinions, especially when it’s about you.

Personally, I’d rather have someone tell me to double-check myself before I find out later at the end of the day. As the saying goes, regret is bigger than remorse – I’d prefer to have a stranger let me know about a flaw rather than coming home and imagining all their terrible scenarios that might or might not have happened because of one simple impurity.

Aside from beauty aspects and standards, criticism should also be applied when it comes to education and other projects. It’s common for some to feel offended when others comment on their work, especially when it’s a project that’s taken a lot of effort and commitment. I think the biggest issue people fail to realize is that feedback is very important to ensure the overall benefit of the project. Similar to the general idea of feedback, criticism tends to have a negative connotation instead.

Rather than accepting the fate of your own work, it can always be improved with constructive criticism. Simply because someone points out a flaw in your work does not mean that it’s bad. There’s always room for improvement right? Others have a different outlook on life, shaped by their personal experiences, and because of this, they can contribute fresh ideas from their perspective.

Accepting criticism allows room for improvement, change, and growth. As the famous Einstein quoted, “Failure is success in progress,” and the same concept applies to criticism! When  feedback is acknowledged, learning occurs  from the experience and mistakes.

I’ve seen situations where students get upset because a stranger tells them when something is wrong, but why does everything need to be such a big deal? A fight or argument doesn’t need to occur just because someone told you your shirt is backwards or maybe you have something in your teeth. In most situations, criticism should be accepted and appreciated rather than dismissed and ignored.

While many might be ‘scared’ to tell someone when one of their flaws are showing, but if it’s fixable, why does it matter? Otherwise, why do we all care so much about these issues? Things like this are going to happen, I am going to have pepper or cilantro stuck in my teeth sometimes, you might forget to tie your shoe, to zip up the side pocket of your bag – and so what? Why should we let these little things impact our mood, or how our day goes? Well, maybe that’s a topic that some aren’t ready for. Criticism is beneficial overall in every aspect, as long as it’s said with love, appreciation, or concern.