Compliments are one of those things that are free to give and feel great to receive. Have you ever noticed that some people are very generous with their compliments, while others rarely say a kind word?

We all have people in our lives who frequently gush over us with words that make us feel good about ourselves. We also notice those people who can’t bring themselves to say anything nice. I don’t like to be around those people!

I decided it would be interesting to conduct a little experiment.

Just for fun, I called it The Compliment Challenge. 

I took one day, and every time I came into contact with someone, I gave them a compliment. Anyone and everyone. The only rule I had was the compliment I gave had to be real. I had to mean what I was saying.

It had to be authentic.

Here’s what I learned:

1. There’s always something nice you can say to someone. It isn’t hard to find something you like about almost everyone you come into contact with.

2. The pleasure I noticed my compliment gave the recipient was obvious. I could tell it made them feel good about themselves.

3. My interaction with them became more pleasant, and they opened up to me more.

4. It made me feel good to say positive words to other people.

5. Positive energy was flowing all around.

If you’re someone who tends to be a little stingy with your compliments, ask yourself why. Maybe when you grew up, you weren’t surrounded by people who often made you feel good about yourself? Or, maybe you aren’t even aware of this, and haven’t ever thought about it.

Until now.

Take the compliment challenge! Take one day, and shower people with kind words. You’ll see, it really does make a difference. It will bring a smile to your face, to those you’re interacting with, and who wouldn’t want that?

It’s especially important to shower your children with kind words. Let them know how proud of them you are, and the qualities you admire most in them. Make sure you let them hear you say it. Sometimes, we expect other’s to just know we feel this way.

But I promise, it means a lot more when you actually say it.

Find meaning each day,

Dara