I don’t know of very many people who can take a compliment well and I’m no exception. It’s something though that I’m trying to work on. Compliments may sometimes come few and far between but every once in a while when some stragglers make it my way I‘d love to be able to accept it with a little more grace and decorum.
Honestly there are probably a few areas I could use a little bit more grace and decorum. This one however might be something I can get a little better at. The other areas may very well be life-long afflictions.
Anyways…..back to the compliments thing.
My usual response to a compliment is a bit of self-deprecating humor, or outright denial of said compliment. Sometimes I come up with some pretty snappy comebacks but that’s not really the right idea when it comes to accepting compliments, is it? I doubt most people when offering a compliment want to hear a negative response.
“I love that shirt” ….”Too bad it’s on me”
“Your hair looks great today” …..”give it an hour the frizz ball will be back”
What is it about compliments that make so many of us turn into self deprecating haters? Most compliments simply make me start questioning their sincerity wondering if they meant it or if they are just being nice.
Well after years and years of denying those compliment givers I’ve determined it’s about time I turn over a new leaf. It has occurred to me that perhaps, just maybe, sometimes people actually mean what they say and really even if they didn’t mean it I should still try to respond a little bit better.
By dismissing the compliment I now realize I’m also denying the person who offered it and discounting their opinion genuine or otherwise. So the next time that I am offered a compliment, even if they are complimenting one of my least favorite outfits or my hair on a day I think is way to 80’s rock band I’m going to try something new.
I’m going to just say “thank you”.
