The power of compliments

Do you remember having a bad day? I am not even talking about not feeling overly confident, but one of those days when you didn’t take a second to look at yourself or, if you did, you’re not loving what you see. Then, someone comes and says, “You look good today,” and a priceless smile shows up in your face. You know you don’t need someone else reminding you of it, but somehow it gives a form of joy, and improves your mood as well. And it happens both ways. So keep reading to find out why compliments have a magical power.

By Warda Raza

@warda.raza33

The magical part behind a compliment is that not only does the recipient enjoy the compliment, but the giver feels a similar wave of joy that tickles him or her.

That one word of praise is stuck with us since we were children. For our childhood self, it would mean the world. There are a lot of ways in which giving compliments can be hugely a positive impact. Let’s dive in to see the power of compliments and how they spread positivity.

• Why are compliments important?

According to the Harvard Business published by Harvard business review, when people were asked about how they would feel after receiving compliments, compared to when they actually received compliments, the results showed that people hugely underestimated how good it made them feel.

How to complement?

Complimenting someone is not about flattering or showing that you are very kind. When you compliment someone, you are expressing your appreciation for something they are, did, or achieved. It is a genuine appreciation from one individual to another. The following should be kept in mind when complimenting someone, whether it’s a friend or not. These rules can help us make a difference in the life of a partner, a family member, or a colleague, through complimenting.

• Be honest.

Sincerity is required when complimenting. No one wants to be complimented for something they did not do, and an untrue compliment can make the other person uncomfortable, escalating the situation. you are being honest and not giving someone sugar-coated words you don’t actually mean.

• Pay attention:

If you are not paying attention, you cannot compliment someone or make someone feel happy and pampered. For you to make someone feel like that, remember that paying attention is the key. Let’s say you compliment someone on their watch, but they aren’t wearing one. How would that make you feel? Let’s suppose you compliment someone on their work, and if they ask what you liked about it, and you actually haven’t seen it, how would that make you feel? If someone does catch your attention, pay a little more attention and compliment the person. It can mean the world to someone and make their day as well.

• Be specific.

Have you ever received a comment on a social media post that said “nice,” “good,” or something similar, as opposed to “you are rocking that look” with sincere and detailed compliments? We can say the latter will for sure make the recipient extremely happy. It would assure them that you actually paid attention and that you are sincere and that you took the time to observe and admire them.

So instead of saying, “I like your shirt”, say, “this shirt looks good on you, the color suits your complexion”, instead of saying, “good haircut”, say “, your new haircut complements your beauty”. This way, the person receiving it would be happy to know that you actually mean the words.

• Be generous.

When it comes to praising, why hesitate to comply with more than one thing? If something really makes you happy, then go all out and praise it. Tell people what you like, because if you like something, go compliment it. Make sure, to be honest, attentive, and specific.

• Making someone’s day

When you compliment someone with a beautiful smile, you have no idea how happy you are going to make that person. It could be possible that they are having a bad day and you just made them feel good, not just in that moment but for the whole day. You are also going to boost their confidence as well. Your compliment can make them feel much better about themselves and will boost their self-esteem.

• The cycle of virtue

By giving someone a sincere and heartfelt compliment, you are positively reinforcing their good behavior, which means that it is likely that such behavior will occur frequently in the future. Giving importance and praising someone’s value, will strengthen your relationship. If you see something good happening around you, something kind that needs to be praised and encouraged, go for it. Because if you do so, it will happen again.

• Influence positively

Complimenting makes the giver feel better because it boosts their self-esteem. It also makes people want to be around you because they know you will give them honest feedback through honest compliments. Giving compliments is a type of leadership advertisement. Hence, people can look up to you for advice and will likely value your words.

• Radiating happiness and positivity

By praising people, you are giving them joy and reinforcing their good behavior. Your influence over them will also help you tell them to improve themselves because people know you are honest and have observed them well enough to say so. In a way, you are telling people to improve themselves while praising their positivity as well. Be a source of happiness in someone’s life and don’t be a miser when it comes to compliments. Remember, the key is to observe, pay attention, be specific, and then, with that, radiate happiness and positivity.

We gain the affection of people by seeing the good in them. With a genuine compliment, the recipient will be moved by the power of your words. Compliments should not be kept hidden. The more you genuinely observe the good, the more you should compliment, because that is the beauty of life, to observe goodness and then compliment.