This article is a sneak peek into one of the many little rants that goes on inside my head. A few weeks ago, I gave one of my friends a compliment. Not just any “your dress is cute” or “you look pretty today” kind of compliment. No, I told her how much I admire her strength and confidence. She honestly didn’t know how to take the praise and was very pleasantly surprised. Her reaction made me realize that every time I had complimented someone on anything but their appearance, they are usually taken aback. Honestly, they take the compliment more enthusiastically than if it was a regular compliment.
I think we need to prioritize giving more genuine and sincere compliments to people. It would mean so much more to a person if they were praised for their personality and character rather than their looks. Start replacing “I like your makeup today” and “you’re pretty” with “I love the way you work towards your goals” and “You inspire me to be a better person.” Of course, superficial compliments are still nice to give and hear every once in a while, but I think giving sincere compliments about someone as a person is so much more significant and we need to say it more often. However, they should always be genuine. Don’t give someone a fake compliment just because you feel obligated to or to make yourself feel like a better person. Give the compliment because you truly mean it.
I think the absolute world of my friends and loved ones. Why should I hide that?! I want them to know how much they are loved and how much they mean to me. You never know when you might never get the chance to say it again. Maybe this is just because words of affirmation are one of my love languages, but I just don’t understand why we should be silent about our affection for someone. The world is already so cruel by always making us feel like we aren’t good enough, so why can’t we just be open and honest about our true feelings. Let people know how much they are loved, appreciated, and how wonderful they are. Let’s hype each other up and start prioritizing being a good person over looking good!