Enjoy the Spotlight!

I met a friend after a long time and excitedly told her, “Hey! You have lost weight. You are looking great!”

She said, “Oh, that’s not true!”

I felt very awkward. Here, I was giving a genuine and sincere compliment to this lady and she didn’t accept it.

While I was mulling over her reaction, another incident flashed in front of me. I had congratulated a colleague for giving a fabulous presentation. And he had said, “Oh, it was nothing. Anybody could have done it!”

Both these incidents took me a few years down the memory lane. We were sitting in the office cafeteria and a senior colleague said something good about me in front of the whole team. I mumbled something under my breath and had a feeling that what I just heard was something outrageous and the earth should simply swallow me in. As I was recovering from the sudden rush of emotions, a friend whispered, “Learn to enjoy the spotlight!”

Fumbling, mumbling, feeling embarrassed or uneasy on hearing something good about us? Do they sound familiar? Well, all these episodes clearly show our inability to accept compliments!

Why do we feel uncomfortable on receiving some genuine praise or admiration? Why do we reject the positive vibes to come our way? Why we do not allow this positive energy to warm us up from inside?

While it is ok to be modest about our accomplishments, it is important to acknowledge the compliments we receive.

Not accepting a compliment graciously reflects bad not only on the receiver but also on the giver. As a receiver it signifies that we don’t value or recognise our talents or achievements and/or are suffering from low self esteem or are self-conscious. When we deny or reject the compliment, for the giver, it implies that his/her opinion was incorrect or that we don’t value his/her remark or we are doubting his/her sincerity.

All it takes is a simple ‘Thank you’ or a nice smile to accept a compliment graciously! Of course, one can explain more and add something positive to it.

Everybody likes a compliment. But generally, we underestimate the power of an honest compliment. A genuine compliment has the power to add smiles, give the motivation when we need the most and yes, it has the power to turn a life around. Why, Mark Twain even said, I can live for two months on a good compliment!!

So, go on give compliments and spread some cheer and smiles around and also accept that compliment graciously. Enjoy the spotlight!

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How do you accept compliments?