This is a good read as mid-year reviews get scheduled.
Feedback itself is not the problem. It is what happens in our nervous systems when we receive it. Research shows that when we get feedback, especially when it suggests we did something wrong or could have done better, our nervous system scans for threat, then prepares us to fight, flee or freeze. At this point, you’re at high risk of leaving your window of tolerance, writes Malynnda Stewart, PhD, BCPA, the zone where your nervous system can handle stress effectively, think clearly and stay present.
Stewart shares guidance to build awareness, learn to pause, ask qualifying questions, avoid defending and distinguish the behavior from your identity.
Source: Medium, February 26, 2026. Link. Not all feedback needs to be fully processed or requires a response in the moment it’s given. Sometimes, the most skilled thing you can do is recognize you’re too dysregulated to receive it well right now and ask for time. This isn’t avoidance. It’s wisdom about your nervous system’s capacity.
When someone gives you feedback, practice hearing it as information about one behavior in one situation, not as a verdict on your character or worth.”
Image: Link.
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