Sometimes support people try very hard to give us a compliment, but we don’t know how to handle their comments.
Instead of appreciating their words, we let our weak self-esteem get in the way, and we say things back that are almost unkind.
Whenever someone offers you a genuine comment about your progress, try to respond warmly to the person who pays you the compliment.
Use your response to affirm and appreciate the other person by saying something such as, “You can’t imagine how much it means to hear you say that. Thank you!”
Today’s assignment (my answers are in blue)
1. Ask a friend or family member to compliment you on anything from your weight loss to your hair or your clothes. Describe what happened.
A while back, my sister told me my hair looked great. I didn’t even say, “Thank you.” Instead, I complained, “I hate my hair right now. It doesn’t do what I want at all, and I’m so frustrated with my stylist.”
2. Come up with a response that affirms the person who gave you the compliment. Write down what you said to them.
I realized later that I didn’t show appreciation to my sister at all. So yesterday when she told me she liked my haircut, I said, “Wow! Thank you so much for saying that. It really makes me feel great, and it helps me like the haircut better myself.”
3. Invent a few more responses to compliments. Record your favorite ones below.
When people compliment me on my writing or my coaching work, I say something like, “It helps me so much to hear your words. You are such a gift to me!”
With my weight-loss efforts, I’ll say, “It’s people like you who keep me going!”