Compliments

I recently met a friend and the first thing I found myself telling her was “Wow, you’ve lost so much weight!”.
And pat came the reply, “Oh! I am tired of hearing so many versions of my weight. Some say I’ve lost weight…some say I’ve gained weight. I honestly do not care about these compliments anymore!”

That set me thinking. “How often do we restrict complimenting to just physical appearances? How many times do we greet people with ‘compliments’ on their bodies (especially when it comes to women)? And I wonder if sometimes these even feel like compliments at all??”

There’s nothing wrong in giving or receiving compliments on physical attributes. In fact, every person’s body needs to be recognised, celebrated and appreciated too. But so does the inner being of the person.

(If you haven’t read this fabulous article by Sarah Koppelkam on “How to talk to Your Daughter about her Body“, please do so. It is a wonderful perspective.)

“How you make others feel about themselves, says a lot about you.”
“A compliment is Verbal Sunshine”
“Compliment people to Magnify their strength, not their weakness” 
“I can live for 2 months on a good compliment”
~ Mark Twain

So here’s a quick compilation of 25 compliments that have nothing to do with physical appearances. Hope these inspire you to connect with people at a deeper level.

1. Your laughter is so contagious.
2. Every time I meet you, I feel so happy that you are a part of my life.
3. Spending time with you is so refreshing and energizing, each time.
4. You inspire me to be a happier person. 
5. I admire the life you have created for yourself. It is filled with so much of Positivity and Clarity.
6. You’re so strong. I feel strong listening to you.
7. You’re a very warm-hearted person.
8. I feel so good to receive your kindness. Thank you.
9. You’re very down-to-earth. 
10. You have a beautiful soul. 
11. You are so caring and sensitive. I’m deeply touched by it.
12. You’re very important to me.
13. Your confidence is so contagious. I feel confident when I’m with you.
14. I think you are very creative. I would love to get some tips on how you do ______ so beautifully. 
15. I admire your talent for _______
16. I love the way you are so aware and sensitive to others’ feelings. That is a such a rare quality.
17. Each time I think of you, I have a smile on my face.
18. The way you have handled your challenges has helped me grow. Thank you for that.
19. You’re really good at the things you do. And even the things you think you don’t do so well, I like how you do it anyway, without caring what anyone thinks.
20. I feel very safe to talk to you. Thank you for being so unconditional with me. 
21. I often think of you and wonder how you would have handled a situation I am in. You inspire me.
22. You are a very good listener. I feel light when I talk to you and you allow me to be vulnerable.
23. You mean a lot to me. My life wouldn’t be the same without you around.
24. I am so grateful to you for being you. 
25. I love you for all that you are. You are a very beautiful person. 

Share ’em. Use ’em. And if you have received/given a compliment that has touched you, you could share it with me. 🙂