#accepting compliments

[theotherendcomics]

[m0tiv8me]

Working on accepting compliments better without that little asterisk in my head

[mattsmemes]

[zippyzstuff]

[douxlueur]

Here are some ways that work for me to respond to compliments, if you have a hard time with that sort of thing!

• Always, always say “thank you.”

• Smile, genuinely. Look at or touch whatever it is they’re complimenting you on (you may very well do this naturally). If they’re complimenting you on something intangible (your kindness, etc.) look them in the eye. The number one thing here is that you’re being genuine. If it means a lot to you that someone would say that to you, express that. “I really appreciate that” is always a winner (but be honest).

• This may be controversial but I feel adding a slight self-deprecating comment can be fine. I do not mean “No I’m not.” For example, I was complimented on a sweater I was wearing. It ended up being much too warm later in the day for a sweater, so I said, “Thank you! It was the wrong day to wear it though.” And we both laughed. This makes everyone comfortable and gives you a direction to move in the conversation.

• When all else fails, just say “thank you.” You might feel uncomfortable and you might not be able to come up with anything to reply with- but simply telling someone “thank you” and smiling shows that you’re grateful and also confident enough in yourself to take that compliment.

[strangebiology]

"your life is a mess, you really shouldn’t be showing off on social media”

me on social media:

[bravelyforwardhangingon]

Acceptance

One thing I've really struggled with as I've lost weight is how my mom has reacted. She's so proud of me...but it is not something I want to hear from her.

I think it's because she so closely connects being "happy" with being "thin" - I don't know if it's a generational thing or because she's someone who always struggled with her weight.

Every compliment she gives makes me feel like she somehow thought something was wrong with me before. She's offered to buy me new clothes, she constantly asks me how much weight I've lost, and it just makes me a little sad, and a little angry too.

Tonight, I walked into my brother's house and before I had even taken my coat off she says "come over here and show S how much weight you've lost." NOPE.

Losing weight over the last year has been so different from any other time I've tried to lose weight - I feel like this is something I'm doing for ME. Not because of what anyone else thinks or for some arbitrary deadline. This is about how I feel about myself. I should note that I'm down over 50lbs, but am probably not even halfway to what I want to lose.

[labelleizzy]

Adorable?

That feel when someone you really really like calls you adorable and your first impulse is to say "no, I'm not adorable," but you stop yourself before you say that. And instead you swallow, look them in the eye, and say thank you! And smile at them. Because now you know, that you have made progress. Because the next step after accepting a compliment is actually believing it. Because you think you're almost there to being able to believe it.