We all know that sinking feeling when someone drops negative feedback on something you’ve poured your heart and soul into. Whether it’s in business, content creation, or just life in general—at some point, someone is going to have a not-so-glowing opinion of your work.
And honestly, it sucks.
Today, I’m sharing a recent run-in I had with this lovely reality and what I learned about handling it. So, if you’ve ever felt like one bad review is enough to derail your entire sense of self-worth, stick around. This one's for you.
The Conference Presentation That Almost Broke Me
Last week, I was speaking at a conference in California. This was a big deal for me—350 people or so were attending this conference, and my session was all about reframing coping strategies with alcohol. It was a topic I cared deeply about, and I spent weeks preparing for this. I read five books on public speaking, bought all the tech, and (attempted to) memorize a 60-minute speech for my 75-minute slot, leaving 15 minutes for questions.
The problem? I don’t do long-winded. I like to get to the point and respect people’s time, which is why my podcast episodes are always 20 minutes max. So, filling 75 minutes felt like a marathon when I’m used to sprints. But I was ready—or as ready as I was ever gonna be.
The presentation went off pretty well, considering the nerves and some clicker issues. No one stormed out. No one booed. I even had a decent turnout—15 people, which isn’t bad when you’re competing against four other sessions in that same time slot. By the end of it, I was proud of myself. I had done something hard and walked away feeling pretty damn good about it.
Then came the reviews.
The Bad Review That Hit Hard
I logged into the system immediately afterward to check out the feedback, and the first review I saw was great—super positive, with multiple exclamation marks. My heart swelled a little. But then came the second review: a sad face emoji and the words, “Not relevant to me and delivered with a lot of judgment.”
Ouch.
Here’s the thing—it was obvious that my session was about alcohol. It was right there in the title and mentioned probably 15 times in the description. So, if drinking isn’t relevant to you or your life, maybe this session just wasn’t your jam. Fair enough.
But it was the “delivered with a lot of judgment” part that floored me. I had worked so hard to make it clear that I don’t care if you drink or not; I had a whole section on it! Hell, I even talked about my own embarrassing run-ins with alcohol to make sure people knew I wasn’t acting holier-than-thou or putting myself on a pedestal.
I was annoyed, I'm not going to lie. It didn't feel fair.
Why We Fixate on the Negative
Isn’t it wild how one negative comment can overshadow everything else? That one review stuck in my brain like a thorn, even though I had received other positive feedback.
It’s human nature, right? We tend to fixate on that one bad review and ignore all the good ones.
Here’s the reality: negative feedback stings because we want to be liked. We want validation. I wanted to hear, “Wow, Marci, you changed my life with this session!” But instead, I got called judgmental and preachy. And it hurt because it wasn’t true—or at least it wasn’t my intention.
But guess what? People bring their own baggage to the table when they criticize you. Sometimes, their feedback says more about them than it does about you.
So How Do You Handle Negative Feedback?
It’s not easy to brush off criticism—especially when you’re working your ass off to deliver something valuable. But if we let every negative comment eat away at us, we’ll never get anything done. So here’s how I’ve learned to deal with it (even if I’m still working on it myself).
Thrive in 5: Five Ways to Handle Negative Feedback Like a Pro
Avoid the Reviews (If You Can)
If you know you’re sensitive to criticism (shoutout!), maybe just don’t read the reviews. Let someone else screen them for you—someone who can filter out the noise and give you the useful stuff without crushing your spirit.
Separate Constructive Criticism from the Noise
Not all feedback is helpful. Learn to distinguish between valuable criticism and trolls who just want to tear you down. The goal is to get better, not to waste your energy on BS.
Look for Patterns
If you start seeing the same feedback over and over, pay attention. But if it’s just one random comment from someone you’ve never met, maybe don’t let it dictate how you do things going forward.
Celebrate the Wins
Don’t let that one bad comment drown out the praise. Take a moment to celebrate the people who do appreciate what you’re doing. You worked hard—give yourself credit for that!
Let It Go
Easier said than done, I know. But over time, the sting of that criticism will fade. You’ll gain perspective and realize that not everyone is going to love what you do—and that’s okay.
Not Everyone’s Going to Love You (And That’s OK)
Look, you’re not going to please everyone. Some people won’t vibe with what you’re putting out there, and that’s just the way it is. But for every person who doesn’t get it, there’s someone else who needs exactly what you have to offer. So focus on them. Don’t waste your energy on people who aren’t your people.
You’ve got this. Keep doing what you’re doing. And don’t let a few negative comments derail your confidence or your purpose.
That’s what I’ve got for you today. Speaking of feedback, I’d love to hear what you think of this episode! Leave me a review (hopefully a good one 😉), and if it’s one star, maybe I'll let my husband read it first.
Until next time—keep thriving, my friends.