World Compliment Day, March 1st

A compliment, as defined in the Dictionary, is “an expression of esteem, respect, affection, or admiration.” Compliments do not have to be eloquent, nor do they need to be detailed. A simple “you look fantastic today” is a compliment, for instance. Despite how easy it is to say a compliment, receiving them can be quite rare in a day-by-day basis. People will often believe that they should give out more compliments. If you are not receiving compliments, then chances are, others are not receiving compliments either.  Be the start. Compliments are infectious and they provide that bit of happiness that can gradually expand throughout the day.

Do not be afraid to provide compliments at the workplace as well. Studies have shown that gratitude can beneficially affect a person’s behavior. Someone could just be doing their job, but a little praise goes a long way. It shows that worker that you notice them, and that their work has meaning. This increases morale and can also help a colleague perform their roles more efficiently. A company full of compliments ensures a positive work environment. After all, you would not want to feel like your job is worthless.

As mentioned earlier, compliments do not need to be complicated sentences. That said, it can feel awkward to say a compliment. Sometimes, anxiety can cause a compliment to not be told. This is because complimenting someone in a quick and easy way may feel like you are undervaluing that person’s worth. But think of it this way: a simple sentence is at least giving notice to a person, whereas not complimenting does nothing. Best of all, a small expression of gratitude now can bloom fantastic friendships in the future. You’d be surprised how often a compliment would stick in a person’s mind over multiple years.

So now that you know that you should give compliments, how do you get past that initial anxiety? First, you should start small and space them out. Obviously, you are not going to say a compliment 24/7. This may have an awkward effect of making you seem creepy. Secondly, you can try commenting on a person’s hairstyle, or how they dress. Try to ignore snide-sounding remarks, or comments on how their body looks. It can give the wrong impression. Finally, you can communicate on a person’s actions, like saying that you appreciate how they completed a task. Try to be a little more detailed here and explain what you noticed that led to the completion of their task.

For this World Compliment Day, spread the love by expressing your gratitude for those that you know and others that you are just now meeting. Be the person that starts the plague of happiness and watch as your words let a person glow with enjoyment. All it takes is a simple act that can make someone’s day.