I haven't read all the replies so forgive me for jumping in.
About a year ago, I was having problems at a job I had just gotten. I had noticed a clear difference in how I was being treated then other employees and thought to myself that I don't deserve that and that I need to find something better and that suits me. Well, I made the mistake of telling my mother, who told me that maybe it's because I don't handle criticism very well.
Sometimes people really do mean well. People notice things but I think, often, wont reflect or empathy with you easily. I think there is a fine line between someone that you care about, who you respect or has a good head on their shoulder to offer the criticism to being with. Sometimes when someone is just pushing what they think "you SHOULD do" verse just pointing out something to you, is a very different way of handling it. It's a type of respect in my mind. And I often wont take someones words to heart if I don't respect them, because normally there are reasons for having such a low opinion. Always look at the source. Is there criticism meant to be helped (like criticism should be) or is judgemental?
My mother was actually wrong about that job she told me to hang on to because I couldn't handle criticism from my boss. In fact, they were hazing me and my next job I was treated with respect and fairly. I was correct in thinking that I deserved to be treated better and in the end I was happier for sticking up for myself.
