Taking Things Too Personally

Have you ever found yourself replaying one negative comment in your head while ignoring ten positive ones? That nagging little voice can feel louder than every bit of praise you get. If you’re dyslexic or simply a bit sensitive sometimes, it’s easy to make that criticism your home base.

In this episode, we talk about why negative feedback sticks in our heads more than good news, how that can affect our self-worth and a simple tool that shifted my outlook. We explore practical ways to side-step the “ouch” and move forward with a lighter heart. You’ll hear stories, thoughts and tips to help you take comments less personally and remember who you are beneath the noise.

Why We Notice the Negative

It’s no secret that our brains have a bias for noticing danger or threats, even when they’re no longer a real danger. We’re wired that way, so critical feedback can grip us a bit too tightly. With dyslexia, you might already have a sense of being misunderstood, which can magnify one negative remark.

These little jabs can sit with you for days. You wonder why you can’t let it go, after all, it’s just a simple comment. But the mind can replay it all evening. Let’s be real, we can’t avoid criticism altogether. Yet we can learn why it hits so hard. We can also create a strategy to move through it faster.

Breaking the Cycle of Rumination

Rumination is that fancy word for getting stuck in a thought loop. We can replay scenarios over and over. It's like we’re searching for proof we’re not good enough. Dyslexia can make that loop even stronger if you’ve grown up facing misunderstandings.

One of my favourite methods is writing it down when I notice the spiral. If I catch a negative thought, I scribble it on paper. That helps me see it in black and white. Let me tell you, seeing it written can sometimes make it look silly. It gives you a bit of distance and helps you stop the cycle in its tracks.

“Sometimes you just need to step back from your own mind and approach it like a friend might.”

That shift in perspective changes everything. When we stand in a friend’s shoes, we see how untrue some of our negative thoughts really are.

The Tool That Helped Me Let Go

This episode focuses on a simple technique that flipped my perspective. I started by asking myself a single question whenever I felt triggered by negative feedback: “If a friend came to me feeling this way, what would I say?” I realised I wouldn’t judge them nearly as harshly as I was judging myself. In fact, I'd be patting them on the back and encouraging them to keep going.

That one question rewired the way I saw negative criticism. It went from “maybe I’m not good enough” to “that’s their view, and it’s okay.” Our minds can take a minor comment and enlarge it. This tool lets the air out of that balloon. It brings kindness and logic into the moment.

When I started practising this, I noticed my stress levels drop. I wasn’t replaying old conversations as much. I was freer to try new things without fear of messing it up. That’s the real power of shifting your outlook, especially for dyslexics who can sometimes second-guess themselves.

Small Steps to Shift Your Thinking

It might feel awkward to try a fresh mindset at first. If you’re used to taking stuff to heart, it’s easy to slip back into old habits. So start small. The next time you read or hear a critique, ask yourself why it’s sticking. Is there a bigger fear in the background?

Consider these small steps:

• Pause and Breathe: Take a slow breath in before you react. This breaks the immediate cycle.
• Ask “Is It True?”: Fact-check the thought. Often, it’s exaggerated or missing context.
• Think Like a Friend: Imagine consoling someone you care about. Would you speak to them or judge them so harshly?
• Write It Down: Even a sentence can help release that negative loop.
• Repeat as Needed: Habits take time. Don’t expect perfection on day one.

These simple steps offer a lifeline the moment the negativity begins. Over time, you’ll notice moments where you don’t cling to hurtful comments the way you used to. Your mind sees them as information, not proof of who you are.

Moving Forward with More Confidence

Being dyslexic can colour how we interpret criticism. But that doesn’t mean you have to let negative feedback define your self-worth. Instead, view each comment as a moment to reflect. Not all feedback is unhelpful. Sometimes it alerts you to areas you could improve. But it's never a reason to doubt your entire identity.

With the approach shared in this episode, you can separate constructive feedback from unkind remarks. When you feel calmer, you can respond rather than react. Life gets simpler. Communication becomes smoother. You start to trust your own instincts again.

This mindset brings freedom and a bit more joy. You feel braver trying new hobbies or projects. You don’t cringe when a boss or friend points out an error. You accept it, learn from it and move on.

• We tend to overinflate negative comments and ignore positive ones.
• Writing thoughts down takes away some of their power.
• Practising self-compassion can replace harsh self-talk.
• Dyslexics often need a gentle reminder that mistakes don’t define them.
• Learning to step back lets you respond rather than react.

If you’re ready to break away from taking criticism to heart, you’ll love listening to the full episode. We dive deeper into each technique, share extra tips for balancing your perspective and chat about how to spot the triggers in your everyday life. It’s a short, but powerful conversation that might just give you that extra boost to see yourself differently.

Give the podcast a listen, and let’s face those negative moments together, one step at a time.