Recently I was walking down the street and a strange woman beamed at me and said: “Such a beautiful dress!”. A small compliment that immediately put a smile on my face and gave me a nice moment on an otherwise not so good day.
Something that always strikes me as positive in the USA, but is definitely rare in Germany: simply giving a stranger a compliment like that. We so often notice beautiful appearances in strangers, but we never talk to them about them. Of course, I don’t mean this general thing here “You look amaaaaazing!”which we know from various US reality shows, but an honest, genuine compliment when we notice something positive.
And when I advocate for more compliments, it is of course not just about appearances and fleeting encounters on the street. It’s not just about commenting on the new outfit or the nice hairstyle, but rather about creating awareness of the good around us.
Each of us has thought at some point, “Wow, she did really well!”without sharing it with the person. We admire in our minds, but remain silent and simply let the opportunity for a small, positive compliment pass by. With this short overcoming, we are sure to give our counterpart an unexpected joy in everyday life – a small moment that will be remembered positively.
And we all know how good it feels when someone recognizes and appreciates our efforts, right?
Why compliments are so beautiful and go far beyond superficiality? They focus on the positive. Anyone who has ever received an unexpected compliment knows this. And no, a compliment doesn’t have to be a big, eloquent thing. Often one is enough “Well done!”to express appreciation and brighten someone’s day a little. Praise is good for the soul.
Maybe it will occur to us (whether that one “typically German“ characteristic?) sometimes difficult because we confuse reserve with politeness?
The best thing about it: giving a compliment costs nothing. It doesn’t require much preparation or material expenditure. It just takes the courage to say what you’re already thinking.
And guess what? Giving compliments is even nicer than receiving them. Because when the other person shines and you are responsible for it yourself, then that is the best gift ever, isn’t it?
