Even if many people seem to have a big problem with it, having someone paying us a compliment is just like having someone making us a gift.
And yet, more often than not, receiving a compliment feels tricky for so many.
Some people get defensive, others get nervous or suspicious, and then there are the ones that tend to make a joke out of the whole thing: "Me?! Are you serious? You must be kidding!" and so it goes.
[A different question could also be about
how you want to react from now on,
when someone pays you a compliment]
It doesn't have to be this way.
Accepting a compliment is an art and it becomes quite easy when we realize that it's often not that much about us as it is about the person paying us the compliment.
In the end, it's about how they relate to us and to something about us that they appreciate, value, and want to celebrate. Their compliments for us are a sign of their mindfulness, generosity, and emotional intelligence.
When someone pays us a compliment, they are saying something about themselves as well, and, in the process, they are showing their vulnerable side.
Looking at it from this perspective, the way we deal with compliments tells a lot not only about us, but also about our connection to them.
Something worth remembering, the next time someone should pay us a thoughtful compliment.
Coaching question of the day:
"How do you react when someone pays you a compliment?"
Tags: Coaching question, Self-coaching, Self-awareness, Self-reflection, Compliments, Emotional intelligence, Human dynamics, Thankfulness, Reframing
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