5 Ways to Accept Compliments

 

Years ago I had a co worker who was notorious for not accepting compliments. One day, I told her that her hair looked nice and her response was “Does it not look good everyday?” Another time, I expressed that I liked her shoes. “I guess my other shoes aren’t cute then” was her response. Do you know someone like this? It can be frustrating when you are vulnerable enough to share a compliment with others and it not received well. It seems that a lack of accepting compliments can be tied to one of three things. 

 

The first is a lack of self esteem. When we do not think kindly about ourselves, it is often times hard to accept that others think highly of us. Negative self talk can often lead to thinking positive things are untrue, and therefore it is difficult to accept when others think positively about us. 

 

The second is a real or false sense of humility. I have run into this professional and personally many times. When a compliment is given the person shoots it down. “I don’t look good.” or “It’s not a big deal. I didn’t do all of the work.” My personal favorite is just a simple “What? No!” Whether it is to get more attention, the person is trying to be humble, or it is an actual sense of humility it is still frustrating when a response like this is given.

 

The third is true surprise. We have all had circumstances when we don’t feel like we’ve done a good job, and yet someone praises us for a job well done. A time when we didn’t feel good about how we looked and someone commented that we looked nice. Although this happens regularly,people don’t know how to respond because it is such a surprise.

 

What is do be done? I challenge you to look into your self talk. When you think positively about yourself you can accept that others do. When someone is vulnerable enough to share a compliment you can respond in a way that exudes confidence and humility at the same time. Here are five wonderful ways to respond when you get a compliment. Try these out and see if it changes the way you think about yourself, and the person who is giving you a compliment.

 

-Thank you!

-That is so kind of you to say!

-Thank you! I really appreciate you saying that.

-Really? It makes me happy you think so.

-That really means a lot to me. Thank you.