Having a positive outlook on life has many benefits for your mental, emotional, and physical health. One way to cultivate a positive outlook is to make a conscious choice to compliment others. When we compliment others, we boost their spirits as well as our own. This can lead to a positive experience for everyone involved. Learn more about how giving compliments can change your life for the better.
Take the Focus Off Yourself
You have probably heard the phrase, “It is better to give than receive” many times throughout your life. But have you ever stopped and thought about what that phrase really means? Many times we think of giving tangible items, such as donating goods or money. Still, the same principle applies to giving through our words and actions as well.
Complimenting others can be considered an act of altruism. The Mental Health Foundation elaborates on how small acts of altruism can provide a positive benefit to the giver, stating, “ In short, altruism is when we put other people’s needs before our own, whether it’s offering your seat to a pregnant woman on a bus or making a cup of tea for a work colleague. And what’s more, evidence shows that helping others can have a positive effect on your own mental health and wellbeing. For example, it can reduce stress as well as improve mood, self-esteem and happiness. There are many different ways that you can help others as part of your everyday life. Carrying out good deeds doesn’t need to take a lot of time or even cost money. Small changes can make a big difference.”
Create a Positive Environment
In many cases, our lives are as positive as we make them. While everyone deals with challenging circumstances, how we respond to them is what ultimately defines us. When we choose positivity, we make the world a better place for ourselves and others. Happify Daily gives examples of this principle, asserting, “You can make someone’s day by sharing your positivity in the form of a genuine compliment. Telling someone, with a smile, that they have beautiful eyes, or that the color they are wearing suits them, will also increase and enhance your own sense of well-being. The act of giving compliments creates a virtuous circle. Telling someone that they have made a positive impact on your life, or that you admired the way they handled a situation, is a powerful gift. You reinforce their value in the world, while strengthening your relationship.”
Change Your Life Through the Power of Compliments
Giving compliments can benefit you as much as it benefits the receiver. When you make a choice to focus on the positive traits of others, you create a positive environment, and reduce your own stress levels in the process. It can also create a ripple effect, in which the receiver is more likely to compliment others and continue to strengthen the positive cycle. Make it a point to give at least one genuine compliment a day, and watch as your life changes for the better!
