THANK YOU

Have you ever noticed when someone is generous enough to pay us a compliment...we are quick to qualify the remark?

For example, someone says to us "Oh, that is such a pretty dress!"  Our typical response is "This old thing?  Ugh, I've had this dress for years."  So what if we've had this dress for a while?  Does this mean the dress is no longer pretty?  We obviously still think enough of the dress to continue to wear it.  Why are we so quick to brush aside kind remarks directed our way?  Perhaps we don't feel worthy of such niceties because we really know who lives behind the curtain?  (Remember the Wizard of Oz??)

We have to learn how to accept compliments.  Not only does it discount the other person's opinion when we brush aside the compliment (and that is exactly what we do when we reply as we do), it also indicates that we really don't believe we are worthy of such pleasantries.  We have to learn how to accept compliments.  (Acknowledging compliments and being fooled by them are two different things.  That is not what I am talking about here.)

It takes 21 days to change a habit.  We can change this negative reaction by practicing a new and positive response.  The next time someone pays us a compliment, just pleasantly respond - "Thank you."  Practice it.  Instead of responding to someone who says that our hair looks nice by saying "I really need to go to the beauty shop to get it done", simply say "Thank you."

The simple response of "Thank you" does not come as easily as one thinks, but it can come with practice.  Just say "Thank you."  This response acknowledges and validates the other person's opinion.  It also says we are grateful for someone taking the time, first, to notice us, but after having noticed us, to have taken the time to be kind.  We are quick to remark how others can be so cruel.  Let us be quicker to acknowledge the kindness of others, especially towards us.  We can also pay this forward by being kind to others.  Mothers alway say, "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all".  Let's take that saying one step further and look for something good to say to someone and then say it.  As I have said before and will say often, people are fragile.  Our kind words may be the only kind words that person may hear directed to them that day.  Each morning, I set out with the purpose of trying to say something kind and/or uplifting to someone during the course of the day.  There must be other like-minded people out there, because surely the dress I had on today wasn't that pretty. 

Peace

Michele 

"Have a nice day"