A Guide to Responding to Compliments

Giving a compliment is almost always rewarding, at least for me. I feel satisfied knowing that I made someone’s day with just a few kind words. Accepting a compliment, on the other hand, is almost on the same level of awkwardness as a classroom full of people half singing/half mumbling ‘Happy Birthday’ to you while you try to smile. It’s not that I’m not flattered or grateful — because I always am, unless the compliment comes from some greasy-looking guy I’ve never seen before. It’s still nice to get a confidence boost now and again, but there’s just something in my mind that second guesses the correct reaction.

Perhaps it’s a deep-seated set of insecure tendencies — if someone tells me something I wouldn’t say about myself, as endearing as the compliment is, I have a hard time not shrugging it off. In this situation, all I want to do is roll my eyes, blush, and respond, “you’re just saying that because you’re my friend.” It’s important to remember that, even though your friends do care about sparing your feelings, compliments really can be sincere. When you truly think that someone’s new haircut looks nice or that they are a very talented dancer, sometimes you just can’t help but tell them. Most people truly want you to know if they admire you. Take it with a smile, and swallow your insecurity, at least until the complimenter is out of sight.

Phase two then approaches: the motive-doubt. Thanks, Regina George, for stopping us from ever believing that our vintage skirt could be anything other than “the ugliest effing skirt” you’ve ever seen. This irrational fear of a compliment made in mocking can be dealt with in only one way. Recieve it with the utmost of outwardly thanks and a beaming smile. If it really is a snub in disguise, what better way to get revenge than by letting the compliment boost you up instead of tearing you down? On the other hand, if the compliment is genuine, nothing will bring more joy to the complimenter than seeing how happy they’ve made you, and you can both go on your merry ways.