How is it we refuse to believe compliments but take criticism to heart? It boils down to how we feel about ourselves long before we interact with others. The path out of this challenging cycle is through daily, intentional, positive reinforcement.
If we trust the source of the criticism, we're more likely to take it well. Most of the time, what we're up against isn't someone else's opinion but our own, reactive defensiveness. Slowing down that reaction and hearing before feeling can make us better at processing criticism.