How to Give and Receive a Compliment

Hard on yourself? Women tend to be so critical of themselves they can't accept a graciously given compliment. I strongly suspect men are the same way but they are much more quiet about it. Why do we find it so easy to dismiss a compliment but take every mean or critical thing said about us to heart?

It always feels good when people have great things to say about us. A great compliment will make you glow inside until you start beating yourself down. You begin to wonder if this person wants something from you. Surely they couldn’t really be saying you are beautiful or smart or fun could they? What would possess a person to be nice? We wonder about ulterior motives. Are they messing with me? Are they laughing at me inside their head? A compliment ends up making us doubt ourselves from the inside out. It's not supposed to be that way.

The last few compliments I've received included "You haven't exactly been beaten with the ugly stick have you?" and "That is one of the best ideas I have heard in a long time". Not bad right? What was my reply? I said straight back to them, "You seriously cannot be talking about me, but thanks!" I managed to disregard their compliments and still say thanks. I guess I've got it half right.

The proper way to accept a compliment is by simply saying "thank you". Then you can even give one in return. It sounds deliciously simply yet many of us simply cannot do it. We must always downplay the words somehow to better fit our own image of ourselves. We toss off someone's kind words almost as if we are afraid they are mocking us. Maybe we are afraid we will look like an egomaniac if we accept compliments graciously.