“I will be generous with my love today. I will sprinkle compliments and uplifting words everywhere I go. I will do this knowing that my words are like seeds and when they fall on fertile soil, a reflection of those seeds will grow into something greater.” --Steve Maraboli

So imagine this... You woke up late for that really important thing you needed to do. You barely have time to shower off the sleep, put on something presentable, or scarf down something to eat. You feel terrible about the way you are looking right now, and it is putting a huge damper on your mood. A rather swanky-looking person approaches you as you are waiting for the next available taxi and says, "Pardon me. I know I don't know you, but I wish I had half the confidence to wear such a bold outfit. You look amazing." At first, you are unsure of how to respond. You feel a little weirded out, that some stranger would take the time out of their day to acknowledge that they noticed something about you, let alone compliment you on it. Then, you begin to feel warm and happy that a little bit of confidence came about you after hearing such a nice compliment, which boosts your mood right away. You quickly respond "thank you" as you hop into the taxi, but the thought of that stranger complimenting the outfit you didn't like 10 minutes ago makes you smile the rest of the ride.

If this is something you can imagine, would make you a little happy, you are not alone. The act of giving genuine little compliments is rapidly disappearing. Many times when people are complimented they tend to feel awkward, or like the person giving the compliment has a motive. But recent studies suggest that processing a negative thought about oneself takes 48 percent longer than processing a positive thought. In other words, we are wasting our lives thinking poorly of ourselves. In a day in age where appearance matters more than ever, supermodels are photoshopped to excruciating lengths, and advertisements urge us to better our appearance, we should be more concerned with feeling good about what we are given, than what we can change. Giving compliments not only to people we know, but strangers and even ourselves can be a huge confidence boost. When asked about how it feels to receive a compliment one person interviewed said that, "something so simple can change the momentum of an entire day, no matter what's going on." A little bit of praise can really go a long way.

Compliments come in all shapes and forms: from "nice shirt" to "wow your eyes are a beautiful color" to "it was so kindhearted of you to do that," etc. Of the people interviewed, both men and women agreed that receiving a compliment on their physical appearance was equally as important as receiving a compliment on their character. So the next time you are going to give a compliment, take the time to really think it out. Don't go for the ever so cliché "I love your shirt" (unless you really mean it) -- take the time to NOTICE the people around you. Because our lives are so busy, it's easy to forget that the people you pass at work, on the street, in the gym, have entire lives they live out besides in the moment you see them. They have worries, struggles, and insecurities, and taking the time to notice something about them, instills a sense of worth; that they matter and are acknowledged.

Compliments are extremely easy to give, but the most important part about any compliment is being genuine -- there is a massive and detectable difference between flattery and a compliment. Of the people polled in a verbal questionnaire, all agreed that compliments coming from complete strangers give them more of a confidence boost because they don't know you -- meaning the compliments are organic and genuine. "It's different than getting a compliment from your best friend," says one interviewee. Family and friends are more apt to know your insecurities and therefore give you compliments on those things to make you feel less insecure, which makes them sound not as genuine, even if they are. So keep that in mind the next time you see someone rocking an awesome outfit, or someone who has their hair styled in a way you like. Pay it forward by letting them know how awesome they look, it can make a huge difference for that person.

The power of a compliment is only limited by not giving one, so with that in mind I urge you to give more. Try it tomorrow; muster up the courage to talk to someone new; to tell them that their makeup is fantastic, or that their sweater really compliments their hair color, or that they have a radiant smile. Smile at them and make that little bit of a difference. One small phrase can break insecurities, build up self-confidence, reinforce a job well done, or affirm one's confidence in themselves. If everyone bothered to give one compliment a day, it could revolutionize our attitudes, not only toward ourselves, but others as well.