You just finished a project, one of which that took you hours of hard to work to complete. Feeling proud, you look at your masterpiece in awe and excitement, but why does that all go away when someone compliments you?

Some people may know what I’m talking about when I mention this scenario. We put effort into something we did ourselves, but shy away when another person notices and agrees. Instead, you play it off and say that it isn’t a big deal or that it doesn’t really matter.

Is it because we don’t want to sound cocky? Arrogant? I know that’s the case for me.

Saying ‘thank you’ for some of us is much harder than it seems. It can be nerve-racking, it can make us worried about what they mean, it can cause us to just want to hide.

So, what can we do to improve on accepting compliments? It’s easier said than done, but it doesn’t take a lot before you realize you’ll be saying ‘thank you’ to any compliment that comes your way.

First, realize that someone is recognizing you or something you did. Maybe you mean for them too, or not, nonetheless this means that you stand out to them in a good way! Maybe it was your nails that caught their eye, the nice shirt you bought the other day, that group project that you’ve dying to finish for a month. There are many things that can stand out to someone, I even compliment someone’s phone case if I think it’s cute.

Next, understand that when someone compliments you, they mean it. A person, whether that be a stranger or even your best friend, decided to take a moment to give you some form of praise. Forever, I’ve been stuck thinking that people were saying these things to simply be nice. That was the case till I finally realized not even a month ago that it isn’t. I made the connection that, whenever I compliment someone, I truly meant the words that I said, and I never gave a compliment just to be nice.

Finally, say ‘thank you.’ This is obviously the hardest part for those that struggle, but it can be done! If you need to start with knowing that it’s polite to say ‘thank you’ after someone complimented you, then start there. Acknowledge that someone is trying to make you feel good about yourself. Otherwise, take baby steps and grow into truly accepting the compliment.

I know that for myself, it’ll be a long journey till I can get used to saying ‘thank you’ and knowing that another person told me something kind. I still struggle with it all the time, even with my own family and boyfriend, but I know that working to go a positive road will make me more confident in myself and my abilities. Saying ‘thank you’ may even make someone’s day too!

You got this, and I know you do!