I had an interview last week in which I was asked a very enlightening question. We were talking about my experience at Odyssey and the interviewer asked if I had ever gotten negative feedback about an article, to which I replied, “Of course!” He continued to question, “Did that ever make you want to stop writing?”

I was caught off guard, but my immediate response was, “Of course not. If you based your life decisions solely off the judgment of others, you would never do anything.”

I was a very candid response for a question I had never considered before. I was confident in my answer, but after the interview was over, I really had a chance to reflect on his question and the larger implications it had on how I view my writing experience.

I have received negative comments about both my writing and Odyssey as a whole. Some people have told me I do not write about serious enough topics; others have told me my writing is too controversial.

Further, I have been told that Odyssey is just a bunch of sorority girls complaining about their problems. Side note: Why is it considered “complaining” and “whining” when women voice any of their opinions, but it is admirable and informed for men to do? I have been told that I need to stop thinking I’m a journalist because all I do is write for Odyssey.

At the end of the day, if you do not stand by your organization, no one will. If you do not stand by your writing, no one will either. I have definitely received criticism in the beginning of my writing career that made me question putting my writing out there for the whole Internet to read. As I continued to write, and further cemented the belief that writing really did make me happy, it was easier to ignore the judgments of my peers.

As T-Swift said, “Haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate.” I’m 100% positive that someone could critique every aspect of my life and every action I take. Does that mean I should stop living my life how I want? Absolutely not. I believe a large part in maturing is shedding the needs to be liked by others and to gain their approval. Being reliant on the judgments of others dictates our actions and stunts our personal growth.

If you did everything according to what other people wanted you to do, you would never get anything done. If writers took critics’ comments on their work to heart, no one would ever write again. Ultimately, your personal valuation of yourself is most important in your creative process.