“Reach out and help others. If you have the power to make someone happy, do it. Be a vessel, be the change, be the difference, or be the inspiration. Shine your light as an example. The world needs more of that.” ― Germany Kent

I want you to take a moment and think about a time you received a compliment or some kind of praise.

How did you feel? You likely remember the compliments that mean a lot more to you than others.

A compliment can really change someone’s day and make them feel better overall. You might have experienced this yourself. When you make someone feel better, you will feel happier too. You will know that you brightened their day, which can be uplifting to you.

Sometimes, when you share a compliment, you can also receive compliments in return. This can make a huge impact on your mood. Obviously, your goal shouldn’t be to get praise in return for giving out compliments, but you might get some love in return. This can help boost your mood too. Think back to how you felt when someone complimented you. Don’t you want to give that to someone else?

Now, I know it can be intimidating to compliment people because you have to approach them, and it might be awkward. Some people are worried about complimenting people they know while others get more anxious about complimenting strangers.

To help yourself get more comfortable with this, start by praising the people you are comfortable with. You can start pointing out the good things about your kids or your partner, especially if you don’t do this regularly. Then, you can gradually branch out to complimenting others.

I want to challenge you to spread the love.

Compliment people and lift them up.

By doing this, you’ll be giving yourself a boost too. You don't have to compliment people that you only see in person, either. You can send an uplifting text or give your friend a phone call to point out something you love.

You might even challenge yourself to compliment people for inward reasons, not just their outward appearance. Maybe you can tell someone you love their work ethic or the way that they solve problems. Really make an effort to spread some positivity wherever you go.

Who will you be complimenting or praising this week? You can set daily goals to compliment a certain number of people that you see too. That might work better for you if you are reserved or don’t tend to give out compliments. As you become more comfortable with giving compliments, you can give even more.

Namaste,

Shelly