I was at the park one morning. This was in Mumbai where I was studying in my 11th grade. While I was there, I’d go to this park called PDP (Priyadarshini Park) which was just 2 minutes away. So, I was walking on the tracks and a woman came up to me and said “I love your hair!” and instead of saying “Thank you” I smiled shyly. And for the longest time I kept wondering to myself, “Why didn’t I say Thank you?”
I had a lot of Body Image issues as a teenager. As any normal teenager does and I was a shy kid. I instantly felt a bit awkward when I was complimented for a part of my body by a stranger. But secretly starting taking care of my hair since then till date. This is what a compliment can do to you! It can change your perspective and might I add sometimes also your world.
I was always asked, “Why don’t you talk a lot?” and I usually felt extremely stupid that I couldn’t carry on or start a conversation till one day when someone whom I was really fond of told me, “I wish I could listen more, just like you Niki” I felt so proud of myself. Since then I do take a lot of pride in the fact that I listen better than I talk.
Slowly but surely, I started understanding compliments better. I compliment others effortlessly and always remember to accept each compliment with honestly and grace.
Have you ever felt awkward or taken aback when accepting a compliment?
We all want to be praised and appreciated and want loads of compliments to be showered upon us but, when the time comes to receive them, we experience cold feet and stutter and stammer.
In this blog post, I want to share a few points that I’ve learnt and practiced when it comes to compliments and I hope they’ll help you too.
Say “Thank you” – I really wish I could go back in time and say Thank you to that woman. It’s easy and polite to say thank you each time you’re praised or complimented. Be genuine about it. Accept it with grace. You’ll feel extremely happy.
Don’t explain or justify – Do you do that? Justify when you’re praised almost as if you’ve been caught doing something inappropriate? I’ve learnt in my own time and way that there’s absolutely no need to explain when you’ve been complimented for something that need appreciation or acknowledgement.
Don’t Show off – Okay this one is a bit rude but it happens. Accepting a compliment is all about acknowledging rather than showing off and making it awkward for the other person.
Give credit – Sometimes it’s a team effort and if you are representing a team make sure to give credit to the team. If you’ve been complimented instead of someone else make sure to give credit instead of stealing someone else’s thunder.
Feel grateful – It’s not an obligation or a norm for someone to compliment you. If someone has gone out of their way to compliment you feel grateful about it and respond accordingly. Think about it, feel it like you mean it and believe in them. Enjoy the praise!
So, there you have it 5 important point to remember about compliments. Trust me if you really apply this to your life whether its professional or personal it will boost your confidence without a doubt.
I hope this article helps you in some way. But I’d really like to know from you – what issues do you face when you’ve got to receive a compliment? Comment below or e-mail me your responses.
Is there a point you’d like to add? Do so in the comments below or like and share the blog post if you find it helpful to you and your loved ones.
If you’ve got a difficulty with your confidence and need a professional assistance, I’d be more than happy to work with you.
Pause, Breathe, Dream
Nikita