The Reason I'm Not Quitting Blogging

I received my first negative feedback from my blog yesterday.  It wasn't a posted comment, but someone I know, criticizing me face to face.

You see, I post about my victories and triumphs as well as my failures.  If I skip a workout or eat something awful, I confess it on my blog.  Showing you one side of things (only my great workouts and clean eats) would be misrepresenting myself.  I think it's important for readers to understand my struggles and know that they aren't alone if they, too, sometimes struggle to fit in every workout and cave to the temptation of ice cream.

One of the reasons I started this blog was to be more open with my life.  Because I grew up in a hyper-critical household, I am very closed off.  (Note: It was also a giving household.  I love my family very much and am very thankful for them and the opportunities I have because of their hard work.) I don't share much of my life with anyone, because I don't want my decisions and choices to be picked apart.  Recently, it's something I have been struggling with, because I now fear it will keep me from ever truly being close with anyone.

Of all people that should know this about me, my criticizer should. She, in a very judgemental tone, asked "When was the last time you even went to CrossFit?"  Then said she noticed on blog post I skipped Tuesday's WOD.  She was drinking, and I will give her the benefit of the doubt that she wouldn't have said it sober.  The thing is, she knows how busy I've been and on top of that, I'm the one that convinced her to join our box. It was a slap in the face.

When I woke up this morning, my first thought was I can't blog anymore.  If this is going to be a source of criticism and judgement, I don't need it. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that would be cutting off my nose to spite my face.  (A phrase I love, and something I do often.  I can be quite spiteful.)   I can't let one little comment stop me from doing something I enjoy.  Most feedback I get through my little space of the blogosphere is positive and encouraging.  Why should I let a bully keep me from doing something I enjoy?

People will always judge and criticize.  It's inevitable.  All I can do is live my life in an honest way and let the comments roll of my back.  This particular comment stung extra hard because it was from someone I didn't expect about something I have been feeling guilt.

So, even though I planned to go to CrossFit this morning, I slightly overslept.  I eased my guilt of playing hookey (again) by doing a warm up of 4 minutes of jump rope, 20 push ups, 20 burpees, 20 squats, and 20 sit ups.  Then, I did a tabata workout of squats, push ups, sit ups, and burpees.  (If you don't know what tabata is, here is an article that explains it in a simple way.)  My glutes and arms BURN!  Oh, and I'm going to try my hardest to make this WOD this afternoon.  More push ups and squats?  Why not!


How do you handle criticism?  If you're a blogger, has it ever made you consider quitting your blog?