"Embrace a Complement"

What went through your mind the last time someone complimented the way you look? Did you accept the comment graciously, or did you think to yourself, It’s just flattery. They don’t really mean it. If your response was something along the lines of “Oh, come on… you’re lying,” then you’re not giving yourself the respect you deserve. 

There was a long period of time where I couldn't take a compliment from anyone, not even my now late husband. It just didn't seem right for me to accept a compliment that I didn't feel I deserved in anyway. I wouldn't even say thank you to the giver of the complement. I would just say make a reply that I am no where near the way I want to be or that I look bad and thought in my mind that they were just being nice and didn't really mean it. I even felt my husband was just giving me compliments because he felt he had to because I was his wife and it was his duty. No matter what the complement was it was extremely hard for me to accept when it was directly towards me physically.

Then one day my Mom caught me in one of my replies to someone giving me a sweet complement at work and I just laughed and said no that I looked bad and made a face. My mom took me aside and told me that it was disrespectful to not accept a complement and that I make that person feel bad when I don't say thank you and accept it. They make the effort to give you a complement and when you just fluff it off and don't say thank you it makes them feel bad, me look bad and they probably think why did I even go out of my way to give the complement. So, in not accepting the complements given to you, you not only are ungrateful to the giver of the complement but you're disrespecting yourself as well. 

Since that day at work when my Mom told me that I need to accept complements more graciously not only out of courtesy to the giver, but out of respect for myself most of all. I was worthy of these amazing complements that were given to me and I needed to embrace them and let them make me feel good about myself and my accomplishments. I put so much hard work in to making myself fit and healthy and I worked hard getting myself ready for competition that I needed to accept that I deserved to feel good about myself on the outside and on inside. From that day on I have accepted any complement given to me, even if I was having a bad day and not feeling too good about myself physically I just looked past my insecurity and embraced the complement given and was thankful for it.

My Mom also said one day as you get older you may not get as my complements and I needed to enjoy it while I was receiving them. Even if you feel the person giving the compliment isn’t being sincere, don’t think the situation reflects poorly on you. Remember, you need to accept and respect yourself unconditionally right now as you work toward your health and fitness goals. The best answer to a compliment is an honest “Thank you.” or as we say in Hawaii "Mahalo"

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