The Right Way To Respond To Compliments
In today’s society, we are taught to give thanks and be grateful for the things that we have. This also includes the actions of others and how they treat us within society. Sadly it can be seen to be hard to accept things in this day and age. And that includes things such as compliments. So with that said I am going to teach you the right way to respond to compliments. When we can do this then things can change very quickly. It’s really about perspective.
What Exactly are Compliments
Sure, let’s begin by defining what a compliment is before delving into how to respond to one appropriately.
With compliments, you can individually show someone your admiration or approval. These can boost one’s self-confidence and assist in increasing inner self-awareness.
Examples of compliments include telling someone they look great in their outfit or that you like their hairstyle.
At times, accepting compliments can be challenging. Nonetheless, it is important to respond courteously when we receive them. Here are some strategies for how to react appropriately to such comments.
The Right Way to Respond to Compliments
For many creative individuals, receiving praise and awards can be uncomfortable. We often focus so much on critiquing ourselves harshly that we are unprepared to respond to compliments.
We almost hope that someone would “come out and say it” just to validate our negative self-belief.
We will instead open the door to more positive interactions and thoughts, and we will actually start to believe them, while also learning how to embody nice words and accept accolades with grace.
When our inner critic reemerges, we can consciously choose to believe the positive messages we’ve been receiving.
Here are five steps to gracefully accepting compliments.
1. Note this.
Pay attention to your typical responses when someone compliments you. Do you contradict it by saying, “No, I don’t look okay, I look terrible!” or do you feel so uncomfortable that you’re speechless and simply say, “Oh, it was nothing”?
2. Practice.
If you understand how to accept compliments, it becomes easier. Consider your current response and how you’d like to react the next time someone compliments you. Then, practice expressing your new reaction until it feels natural and genuine (practicing in front of a mirror is sufficient).
Is there anything else you’d like me to add? It’s always appropriate to smile and respond with a warm and sincere “thank you.” Avoid reflexively apologizing, justifying, or downplaying compliments.
3. Pause.
Pause before responding when someone compliments you. Change occurs when we step away from autopilot and try something new. Take a deep breath and remind yourself that you want to accept compliments more gracefully.
4. Focus your attention elsewhere.
Maintain your focus on the person complimenting you. Think about their intentions. Sometimes, our inner critic doubts the speaker’s sincerity, suspecting sarcasm or an ulterior motive. Instead, give them the benefit of the doubt and accept their words at face value, assuming they are sincere.
Think about being kind and polite to that person. Making them feel special by acknowledging their praise with genuine appreciation can make them remember you and speak up the next time they have something worthwhile to share with you.
If you downplay, dispute, or react as though you’ve been insulted by their words, the person giving the compliment may also perceive it that way.
5. Try approaching it from a different angle.
One way to enhance your ability to receive compliments is by giving more praise yourself. Observe how others accept compliments. Due to your increased focus on the other person, this will considerably strengthen your relationships. As you search for positive things to compliment others on, you’ll find that you’re better able to retain positive thoughts overall, leaving less room for negative and troubling thoughts.
As the last statement
As mentioned before, developing self-assurance requires embracing confidence. While it may be challenging initially, following these five steps will make it easier. Remember, it’s all about your mindset. It will only get better from there if you learn to embrace the truth. In the end, all that counts is that you are attractive.
Step outside and embrace the reality of your situation. In the long run, you’ll be grateful you did. Please share your thoughts with me in the comments section below. Your input is greatly appreciated.
(c) Linda Dessau, 2006.
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Kiersti writes on self-love and personal development professionally. Over the past ten or so years, she has studied self-love and personal growth. Visit https://womansdailyneeds.com/ to learn more about what she does, and like her on Facebook at https://facebook.com/womansdailyneeds to keep up with her.