How to Accept a Compliment
When someone pays you a compliment do you typically respond by stating all the reasons it isn’t true or what obstacles you’ve had or in some other way negate what the other person has said? For some reason, it seems we are allergic to compliments or even acknowledgement of a job well-done. Our society focuses so much on improving and looking for what’s wrong (rather than what’s right), that it’s hard for us to know how to act when someone points out something positive. It just seems so unexpected.
Yet think about how easy it is to think of the negative things. Our society thrives on negativity, fear, and drama. It’s everywhere in the media. Just watch a news cast, tabloid magazine show, reality TV, etc. and you won’t have to wait long to hear what so-and-so said about that person (gossip) and how to improve any and every area of your life (read you’re not good enough the way you are). It’s like we’re actively looking for the bad stuff. So much so it can be hard to see the good. And that leads to missing all the positive things going on in our lives, even the little things we’ve accomplished, mastered, and overcome.
I believe it’s often the smallest things that make the biggest difference. But what happens when those small success go unnoticed? We can get grumpy, thinking nothing is ever going well. We can lose sight of what we want, what we’re striving for…lose focus and motivation…and develop a really bad attitude about ourselves, others, and everything around us.
So how do we get back to noticing the small, positive things? It really is just about noticing, being aware, and looking for it. Here’s some tips:
- Next time someone says something positive to you, notice if you have any thoughts spinning around coming up with reasons you don’t really deserve the compliment. Words or thoughts such as “yeah, but” or “you don’t have to say that” are clues you might have difficulty accepting any positive feedback. Instead of spouting negatvie stuff, simply smile and say “thank you.”
- Start conversations with people by pointing out something positive about them. It could be the way they look, their clothes, or the way they handled a recent situation or project.
- Notice at least one thing you enjoy about life each day and acknowledge it.
- Give yourself at least one compliment every day. You DO deserve it.
For more tips on how to celebrate your journey and look at the successes you’ve had along the way, , please join me for my next monthly FREE Telseminar, “To Your Success: Celebrating Every Step of the Journey.” Simply go to the REGISTRATION page at https://krylyn.com/free-teleseminars/to-your-success, and enter your name and email to get signed up. Even if you can’t attend the live call, you will get access to the recording of the call, but only if you register.
Photo: Free Compliments © by ilovememphis
