Facing an unwanted ending or a painful memory—or know someone who is struggling to recover from a loss?

Endings can be tough on the heart and soul.  Lay-offs, break-ups, or sudden, unexpected life changes can throw us off balance and make us feel unsure about ourselves and our future. When someone or something pulls the rug out from under you, you may find yourself drowning in a caldron of emotions, anything from grief and remorse to anger, fear, or blame.

Whether you’ve experienced a recent loss or are struggling with an ending you’ve never come to terms with, you can move forward more quickly by finding effective ways to release regrets.

Learn 10 important ways to honor endings so you can find closure gracefully, get past the pain, and open the door to new beginnings:  Click here to read my new feature on saying goodbye to regrets on Beliefnet.com

“Pay no attention to what the critics say; there has never been set up a statue in honor of a critic.”
—Jean Sibelius, Finnish composer (1865 –1957)

We all get hit by life’s slings and arrows from time to time. These can come from a resident critic—a family member, friend, or coworker who always finds something wrong—or as an occasional put down that catches you by surprise. What do you do when an insult is hurled your way, privately or publicly? Do you pretend you didn’t hear it or hurl an insult right back? Do you internalize it or get angry and lash out . You may not be able to stop someone’s nasty words or careless actions, but you can change how you deal with those barbs. They don’t have to take you down or tempt you to retaliate.

Try these 10 healthy and empowering tips to meet insults and criticism gracefully and appropriately.

We’d love to have you join the conversation. What tips and tricks have helped you cope with criticism?