Hey, you look awesome today!

I love your pants; it looks terrific on you.

…and on and on.

Complimenting others can be tricky; accepting compliments is even trickier. What do you say to someone who’s just complimented you? What do you say when you’re trying to compliment someone?

It’s normal if you aren’t even sure how to go about paying someone that compliment. You don’t even know how they’d react, and that could make you lose courage.

I got asked once how I prefer people complimenting me.

Let it come from the heart. This answer may seem simple and completely cliché. But, it’s the truth. While we’re often busy figuring out the best words to use or the most impressive ways to compliment, we forget that being sincere about the compliment is all that matters.

What is a Compliment?

I have to take us back to this simple task. Defining things helps you figure out all the unique ways to understand those things. I tell this to my students all the time if you can get just a little understanding about what a term or a word means, you can make it your own.

That said, a compliment can mean different things to different people. Luckily, there’s a general definition where we can start.

“A polite expression of praise or admiration” 

It seems pretty straightforward if you work with this definition, except for the part where you may be anxious about the other person’s reaction or response.

I have to tell you that if you do it well, a compliment will most likely make that person smile. It’s almost like magic.

Mastering the ART

Yes, I think of it as art cos it’s nuanced. If we could all just say that nice word and get on with our day, we’d do it without blinking. However, you may want to make that compliment a positivity boost while you’re at it.

So, the first piece of advice; don’t just string words together.

• Speak from the heart

I’ve always preferred to be called pretty, but not many people know that, right? Great, so what I look out for when I hear someone’s complimentary words is where it’s coming from.

Someone can always tell when you are sincere with your compliment. Like, when it’s coming from your heart. It has an instantly positive energy that it passes to the other person.

• Smile

Even the hardest facial expression would soften when you smile as you speak. Who knows, that person may not be having the best day, and your smile, with your compliment, just made it better.

• Keep your body language open.

Smiling can help you achieve this almost instantly. When your posture or body language isn’t offensive or defensive, it has twice the impact. So, there’s the words you’re speaking from your heart, and then, there’s that warm smile, and you seal the deal with an open posture.

All the person can see is a warm, welcoming fellow human being…and they feel good instantly.

Tiny Perks of Complimenting Others

I thought I might skip this entirely, but it’s a great idea to pick up this art today if you don’t already compliment people most effectively. The tiny perks you don’t see after complimenting others from your heart include;

• Complimenting others boosts your mood
• Complimenting others makes you 101% more likable
• Complimenting others spreads a positive mindset
• Complimenting others increases your empathy

These perks are so not tiny! But, I think that only becomes clearer to you when you master the art.

To Wrap This Up…

When I talked about speaking from your heart, a thought flashed through my mind.

Keep it polite.

An essential part of speaking to others is that we respect them while at it. Some people hide mean comments behind what they describe as compliments. If it’s not polite, it is most DEFINITELY not a compliment.

So, although I prefer compliments about how I look with the word, Pretty, I don’t mind anyone calling me Handsome if I can tell it’s coming from the heart. I say a simple Thank You with a smile to show them I appreciate their compliment.

I’m sure that’ll work the same for anyone you’ll give a compliment today.

I hope this helps!