Nitty criticisms

People who love us listen to us. They hear what we are saying, undistracted by mispronunciations or misspellings. Only insecure people too busy projecting their own insecurities about their own intelligence point out such minor, common mistakes rather than rejoice in our ability and willingness to share our heartfelt joys. Or maybe they are simply jealous, insecure about their inability to draw positive attention to themselves at the moment. In that moment they are not loving us, even if they insist they are "just helping", even if their mannerism is attempting to be consoling or reassuring. They are really being condescending, screwing with our emotions and trying to manipulate us into self-doubt. Their criticism is nothing but an assault to bring us down with them. Misery loves company and isn't even satisfied with that when accomplished. Such acts aren't the end of a matter, they are only the beginning of an abuser's emotional cycle....They will only hate us more if we let them bring us down to their level. Loving unconditionally includes setting boundaries. Such behavior does not have to be tolerated. Respecting ourselves and holding others accountable to doing the same helps them respect themselves. They're experiencing an overload and need to give themselves a break. They need to step away from the mirror: the people around them, give themselves space. Nip the nit-picking in the bud and show them the door. It's the most loving thing we can do for them. If it's an abusive child, put them in time-out no matter how old they are.
     Nit-picking also includes nit-picking our responses, rejections of our expressions of being able to relate, of empathy, compassion, sympathy, condolences, etc.
      With this, for me, comes further self-liberation and realization:
 I am not over-sensitive. I am acutely cognitive to pain someone is causing and subtle attempts at manipulations of my thinking and emotions. If anything, it demonstrates a very healthy, mature, highly developed brain function. I'm no where near as crazy as the person in question might be trying to make me ;)