Give a Compliment

There is just a feeling of satisfaction that comes with
brightening someone else's day. There are so many different
ways to make someone smile, but one of the easiest ways is
to simply give a compliment. We should all strive to give
other's credit where credit is due each and every day.
Giving a compliment, in its most basic form, means
acknowledging someone else's efforts and expressing
gratitude for their contribution. Compliments can come in
many forms. An expression of thanks could be a form of a
compliment. Writing a letter expressing feelings of
appreciation is a great way to offer compliments as well.
One could even give a simple compliment based on platonic
things like another's physical appearance. The trick to
giving a compliment is to make it sincere, give them at the
appropriate time and to not "overdo" it.

The art of giving a sincere compliment is really very
simple to adopt. Only say what you genuinely mean. If you
legitimately like the work that someone has done on a
professional piece or if you honestly think someone looks
attractive in what they are wearing—let them know!
When it all comes down to it, the majority of people feel a
little insecure and truly appreciate the validation of
others. Whether you just tell someone his or her eyes are
pretty, or that they gave a great presentation, you can
have a positive impact on someone else's life. Being
sincere means speaking from the heart, but do not forget
that compliments are mean to build other's self esteems. So
remember the counsel from Bambi, "If you can't say anything
nice, don't say nothing at all." Make it sincere, but only
say it if it will make the recipient feel good about
themselves. If it does not make them feel good, then it's
not a compliment. And if you don't really believe what you
say, then it is not sincere.

Have you ever known someone who likes to compliment others
in front of a crowd? I think we have all witnessed a child
who makes an effort to share with their playmates only when
parents are around and as soon as there is no adult
supervision, they turn back to their selfish ways.
Unfortunately, adults have been known for doing this same
thing in public. They will compliment their coworkers in
front of their boss so they look kind or like their
approval is important to others. In reality, compliments
should be given in private conversation. Of course, there
are moments when public recognition for a job well-done is
necessary, but small, every day compliments should be given
in private and not in public so that the recipient is not
forced to wonder the intent of the compliment. In other
words, they should not ask themselves, "Did he/she really
mean that or were they saying that so they could look nice
in front of everyone else?"

I remember attending a summer camp when I was 16-years-old.
I was sitting at a table for lunch full of attractive
females when a young man swaggered by. He stopped at our
table and singled out one of the girls in an effort to give
her a compliment. We all listened closely, being the nosey
teenagers that we were. "Veronica, seriously, your hair
looks so awesome today, I love it when you wear it
straight," he said. By this point we were all a little
jealous. Being a very polite and modest girl, she quietly
thanked him and left. When he left, she proceeded to tell
us that he gives her compliments like that on a daily
basis. Compliments that really do not do anything for her
self-esteem because she has seen him give the same
compliment to a dozen other girls, and tomorrow he'll tell
her he loves her hair when it's curly. She was just
feeling harassed by his hollow compliments.

Giving a genuine compliment is one of the kindest ways to
lift someone's spirits. You never know what kind of day
someone is having and what sort of impact your few words
could have on their outlook. What if we all made an effort
to give three sincere compliments each day? Not only could
you strengthen the relationships with those you love most,
but you could actually make the world a happier place, full
of people who feel appreciated.

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Courtney Lewis attends Utah State University and is a
writer for http://www.sweetlyyou.com where you can create
unique, customized bath and body gift sets.

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