Have you ever gotten a new pair of shoes, a sweet new hair cut, or even just tried something new with your makeup and had someone unexpected or even random compliment you on it? Do you remember how good it made you feel? Did it boost your confidence for the rest of the day or validate your decision to make a change? It’s happened to me before, and I know I’m not the only one. I am a huge fan of giving compliments when you genuinely mean them. Whether it’s an article of clothing, a talent, a joke, or even someone’s face, if something catches my eye, I like to compliment that person on it.

Compliments are powerful tools in social situations. Complimenting someone not only makes that person feel good about themselves, but it also enhances the mood of the person giving the compliment. It’s important to focus on the good qualities in life, and complimenting someone does just that. Often it’s easy to feel threatened or self-conscious when you see someone who looks great or has a killer outfit on when you’re wearing sweatpants. Instead of envying someone’s qualities that you find interesting or attractive, we should start acknowledging them verbally. Personally, I get a lot of my fashion inspiration from other women I see around campus. If I really like your sweater, I’m going to tell you. Often this leads to further conversation, usually about where that person bought said article of clothing, but it’s also an opportunity to make connections with people and potentially befriend them. Of course, compliments are only well received if they are genuine and not used with intent to manipulate. I’m sure many people recall this famous Regina George moment:

Next time you see something on someone that you genuinely like, despite gender, despite any other surface-level observations, tell them. It’s not weird to tell someone that you think they have great hair. It’s not creepy to tell someone their eyes are a cool color or that their outfit is incredibly stylish. The world is full of negativity everywhere you turn. We have the power to put some positive energy and good karma out into it, and spread a little love to the people around it. Every day is a new opportunity to make someone else’s day.