Having hates is an inevitable part of any bold journey – everyone who has made a difference in the world has had doubters and critics. As natural as haters might be, in the age of social media it’s become harder and hard to ignore them – and so we asked some brilliant creatives and entrepreneurs to tell us how they deal with haters.
Maryann Marselles
I have encountered many people who have said “you’ll never make it,” or “Why can’t you get a “real” job?” I’ve had people worried I’m not making enough money and act like I’m not worthy because I don’t have a regular high-paying 9-5 job. I just know that this is my calling, the life of an artist isn’t for everyone but I’m making strides and improvements on myself and my craft consistently. I’m not going to stop pursuing my dreams just because of a few negative people. This is where I’m supposed to be and I have the confidence in myself and the commitment to succeed. Read more>>
C G Barlow
When asked how I persist despite the so-called “haters” and nay-sayers, the first thing I would say is that I don’t really see anyone as a hater. There’s no such thing in my mind. Everyone, no matter how critical they might be, can teach you something valuable if you have the humility to listen and learn. It’s not easy to take in negativity, but I’ve found that even the harshest comments can offer insights. This humility, this willingness to learn from others—even from those who disagree with me—has been key to my ability to persist. Read more>>
Sarah Mills
Every artist that dare’s to dream of supporting themselves with their work will hear about how they can’t do that or it’s not a real job. The first time I heard that sentiment I was in first grade working on a class project about what I wanted to be when I grew up. When I said I wanted to be an artist a couple of volunteer moms laughed in my face and told me I’d starve. I chose veterinarian instead. From then on my life was peppered with doubts and cruel comments from peers, to strangers, and even art teachers. The worst came from my ex husband. Read more>>
Jasmin Sudduth
This question sticks out to me the most because one thing I can say is that no matter what you do or how good of a person you are, someone will still have something negative to say about you. It’s always been evident, but I feel like now with social media it’s way more evident. Like you can scroll through the comments on the most positive social media post and there will still be someone in there with something negative to say. Read more>>
Jenilee Samuel
I have had a few nay-sayers, which doesn’t sound like much to overcome, but they were very up close and personal voices in my life with a lot of influence. Because of their roles in my life, I didn’t want to tune them out, so I developed a process that works for me as a faith-person. Because I believe that what I’m doing isn’t just a good idea, but is part of the calling of God on my life, I involve him in my decision making. And when these two particular voices of criticism would come after my business and podcast, i didn’t want to harden my heart toward them, so I would say “thank you for your feedback, I’m going to pray about it.” And I did. Read more>>
Chelsea Robinson
It took me a long time to really understand that not everyone is going to like me – I won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. I think many women grew up as people pleasers, denying themselves of their own feelings, wants and needs with the hopes of being accepted and finding belonging. I carried this with me for a very long time; well into Motherhood. But then, as I have been raising my children, I have come to realize that a) I am making decisions based off of what I think I “should” do inorder to make others happy and b) it doesn’t always make ME happy (or my kids). When my values clashed with other peoples values or expectations of me, I had to choose. It wasn’t and still isn’t easy, but now I recognize that I don’t owe anyone else an explanation as to why I do what I do as a Mother. This has been freeing and empowering. I have been able to channel this into other areas of my life, like my business, and can now more clearly see that I don’t have to make everyone happy there either (in fact, that’s impossible). I accept that I won’t make everyone happy – I accept that I am not for everyone. There is freedom in expecting haters and nay-sayers AND also in telling them that it’s okay to not like me – I am good with that. I don’t have to like everyone or everything either. Read more>>
Patty Myasia
No voice will ever be louder than the voice of God, in my ears. That’s where my persistence comes from, knowing that I’m called according to his purpose, so who really cares what anybody has to say? Read more>>
