Dealing with people judging you as a creative entrepreneur
A hate comment on social media.
Someone who used to love your work unfollowing you.
Hearing someone you know bad-mouthing you.
Your family/friends not getting you.
These are just a few of the obstacles that creative entrepreneurs have to go through. That is, the obstacle of other people judging you.
I’ve totally been there myself multiple times. I remember how seeing that a graduate school mentor of mine unfollowed me felt like a punch in the gut. I remember how learning that a potential client blocked me after I told her the price of my offer (when I first began on my entrepreneurial journey 5 years ago), drained all the belief I had in myself.
I know it’s not comfortable. Yet, I wouldn’t change anything about them.
And I’m also here to tell you that you can go through this. In fact, once you learn how to deal with other people judging you, you can learn to hone our power+ artistry even further as a creative entrepreneur.
And I want to offer you some perspective shifts that may help you do so.
You will never be able to please everyone.
When you live your most authentic life, you will not please everyone.
Whether it is to speak our most authentic truths, build the most authentic business, or have the most authentic relationships, our authentic truths will trigger people.
There will always be people judging you no matter what you choose to do/say!
Most of the time, it’s not because you are wrong, but because life is created us that way. Consciousness is designed to exist that way. We exist in a spectrum— with different beliefs, perspectives, and values, just like how different shades, tones, and hues make up a color wheel.
Thus, if we are trying to life a live that pleases others before we please ourselves, it will never feel like you’re enough…
2. People may just not see the truth yet
Sometimes whenever people judge you, it’s just that they haven’t seen how the story will turn out yet.
This is a common problem among artists/creatives who are here to bring unique innovations to life. Just because your visions are new and unconventional does not mean the masses are ready to receive it yet.
In fact this is something I feel around sharing my work on soul-healing on social media. Sometimes people will not get it, not because you are wrong, but simply because they may not have had certain life experiences (such as spiritual awakenings).
3. People’s judgements tell more about them rather than about you
Similar to my previous point, whenever people judge you, it says more about the people who judge us.
For example, someone’s harsh language toward you may tell you more about their animosity toward their own life. Someone’s stance on a situation may tell you more about their own upbringings rather than whether you are actually right or wrong.
You can consider this example of parents judging a child about their entrepreneurial pursuits (which I’ve had early on in my life). When a parent tells a child to not pursue something (such as entrepreneurship), it may indicate more about their own experience running a business, or perhaps even their own childhood upbringing. Not everything people say to you is personal to you.
4. You no longer dilute your creative expression
Our creative expression is a doorway to our ultimate inner fulfillment.
Yet when we are afraid of people judging us, it forms a cage around our soul. Like having a film that blocks your inner light beam of creative expression from being seen by the beautiful fireflies (i.e. your clients/customers).
However, when you learn to accept that people reacting/judging us is a natural part of the creative expression, you become free. Free to express your boldest, brightest, clearest light. Free to let your creative expression call in the right people who are meant to work with you.
5. You get to refine your truth
The truth is, when other people’s judgement toward us hurt us, it is because a part of you believes that they are true.
For example, if someone judges you that you are a pink elephant, you will just laugh it off and call them crazy.
But if someone judges you that you are a failure and deep down you feel shame around your past failures, it will hurt like crazy.
Our reactions toward others can reveal to us how we actually feel about ourselves
Knowing this can allow us to heal from the wounds we carry within ourselves, while also distilling further into what our actual Truth actually is.
In essence, through receiving judgements, we can become more like our True Selves— who is equanimous and compassionate (both toward yourself and others), dissolving all judgements into a form of love.
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In truth, you are it All– the dark, the light, the beauty, the ugly. No judgements nor compliments can ever define who you actually are.
And it is through this inner awareness of the Truth of You, along with the truth of all beings, even the judgers, that you come to realize that beyond all judgements lies a freedom of your soul, awaiting to be unleashed.
