THE AMAZING POWER OF COMPLIMENTS

Last Sunday, I walked up to a friend who I haven’t seen in church for a while to inquire about her whereabouts. She mentioned that her job had become demanding lately, making it difficult for her to attend services. In the course of our brief but warm conversation, she held my hand firmly, and said “I don’t know if anyone has told you this, but you are a very peaceful person. That is something I admire about you”. That instant, I froze but somehow managed to let out my best smile ever. Those kind words worked liked magic and I kept basking in the sensation for the rest of the day.

Never underestimate the power of a compliment. A very little compliment may go a long way in transforming the life of someone. Paying a compliment might appear really easy but its effect can be extremely powerful. They have the ability to turn a miserable day into the best-day ever. One of the most generous things you can do in your life is to give someone else a true and meaningful compliment.

Compliments promise enormous possibilities. It shows respect, admiration, approval, gratitude, trust, appreciation and hope. Some people just do not understand the positive effect of a few kind words. It is the most meaningful gift you can bestow on someone.

The objective of a compliment is to show people that you recognize them and that you are paying attention to what is going on in their lives. It also lets them know that you acknowledge a specific strength or value in them and care about their happiness. Compliments can help a person's sense of confidence and increase their awareness of what they are doing right. The assurance that a compliment confers on the receiver can propel them to greater heights.

Some compliments can be confused with flattery and may appear insincere. And there is an obvious difference between an honest comment and a thoughtless remark aimed at patronizing or falsely elevating someone. So it is important for you to be impeccable with your words and generous with your praise. Make your compliments timely, genuine and heartfelt.

It is very important to be specific to what you are offering the compliment on and most importantly make sure it’s the truth. This will increase the receiver’s self confidence and helps them to focus more on those positive things they were extolled for. It will also help their attitude towards life to be more optimistic and they will become more motivated.

Always ensure that you have a response when you do compliment people and they want to know why. Avoid giving personal compliments to people that you do not have a close relationship with. A true compliment comes from the giver’s heart and impact’s the receiver’s heart.

The art of complimenting people can require great mastery. However, you do not have to be incredibly skilled to do it right. 

You can compliment people in the following ways;

• Their physical attributes or appearance.
• Their character or personality.
• The things that make them insecure.
• The things they possess.
• The things they do.

The golden rule of compliment states that the more you give the more you will receive. It’s a win-win situation. So, I encourage you to make an effort every day to compliment the people in your life and you will be amazed by how great your life will become.