Keep a journal with you and start logging every criticism or confrontation that activates your defense mechanisms. Include self-criticism! Notice what kind of message is most likely to trigger you: is it about your abilities, thoughts, actions, appearance, life choices, or something else?

For each type of criticism and confrontation, demonstrate your Courage to be Confronted by first thanking the messenger (even if only in the confines of your mind.) Then, use the Courage to Learn and Grow to better understand the underlying fear and/or need of the messenger. Dream into new, more productive ways of interpreting and responding to external or internal criticism. In doing so, you will be modeling a kind of courage much needed in the world today.

For further exploration, see The 7 Acts of Courage, pp. 87-89.