Compliments

Compliments...aren't they great? As I am trying to make my glass half-full again, I am trying to be more optimistic on life. I've found that compliments are just about the best things you can get and even more fun to give. I've pretty much figured out there are three kinds of compliments I've found. The first is the obvious ones...Lately, I've been giving my new-mother friend "advice" and each time I talk to her I let her know she is doing a great job...because she is. I remember being at that point in life, and just wanting someone to tell me I was doing a good job, and REALLY believeing it. It's one thing for people to say it, which they did, but it's another to really hear it. It's great to be able to help her and to have her value what I have to say.

That is the second way I've found to give and get compliments. She wants my advice...what a great compliment to me. She values my mothering skills enough to want to hear what I have to say, and maybe even follow it! So when people come to you...know that in your heart you can take that as a compliment. Also, when people care enough to check on you for no reason, or for good reason...that is a compliment to yourself. You are a good enough person and friend or family member for them to care. This kind can also be found in the comments you hear about yourself second hand. It's always nice to hear others can say nice things about you, when you aren't there.

The third kind I've found is the trickiest. It's the back-handed compliment. It may not sound like a truly nice thing to say or do, but in reality...it really is. Walgreens does that well :) One of the best compliments I've ever gotten about myself is when I was going through a hard time in life and someone said "I'm really surprised at how normal she turned out..."

Funny how something someone says or does can give you so much strength and hope and they don't even mean to.