”I can live for two months on a good compliment” – Mark Twain.
Well, me too!!
A compliment is a polite expression of praise or admiration. When someone pays you a compliment, it literally puts a bounce in your steps! This is usually because it is unexpected, and most welcome.
When you pay someone a compliment, you feel better about yourself when you see how your words make them feel about themselves.
One of my favourite quotes ever, is a quote from Marianne Williamson in ” A Return to Love”, and in it, she addresses the issue of how to appreciate ourselves and others: ”Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous. Actually, who are you not to be? .. We are all meant to shine, as children do .. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we’re liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others”.
When next you pay someone a compliment, be sincere and honest. Say it with a smile. Look them in the eyes. Choose your words (especially if you are complimenting someone of the opposite gender), that it may not be seen as flirting or harassment.
It should not be difficult for you to receive a compliment. Do not try to deflect the compliment by putting yourself down. ( Compliment: What a pretty blouse you are wearing! Response: Really?! This old blouse?). This is not a graceful response and can make the compliment-giver feel unappreciated or even dismissed! Respond by saying ”Thank you” with your best smile. Look the compliment -giver in the eyes as you do. You may choose to follow with a small phrase for example, ” Wow, how nice of you”, or ”It is nice/kind of you to notice”.
When we appreciate ourselves enough to accept compliments with grace, we most likely appreciate others enough to compliment them.
Pay someone a sincere compliment today. You will feel better about yourself by making another person feel better about him/ herself.
Helen.