Compliments?

[browneyes]

Is anyone else embarrassed by compliments? I've heard 3 this morning at work alone and I have the tendency to look like an idiot when I receive them. I've never been able to take a compliment. Not that I receive all that many, but I tend to get flustered by them.

[tater bug]

after 11 years it's still difficult for me to accept a compliment from SO. And a compliment at work or anywhere else is downright impossible! I try to be gracious but it doesn't come out that way!

[ratsrule]

Since I get them all them all the time, it is no big deal for me.

It is hard for me to get from the ratmobile to the my office without people stopping and complimenting me.

[WDWHound]

This is still a problem for me, but I am getting betting. I have found the best response is simply to smile and say thank you, but for some reason I still get a bit self concious when doing so.

[Eeyore1954]

RatsRule -- LOL!

I have a hard time also -- I think it is tied to having a not-so-good self-image. For me, I think I don't deserve the compliment.

I try to smile and say "Thank you" -- graciously and sincerely as possible. Then I go back to my cubicle or home or car or someplace private and beat myself up royally.

Example: Last week I finished a training session where I had 80 people, some of whom were rather obnoxious and rude. By the end of the session, I figured my evaluations would be pretty low (my manager lives and dies by those numbers). We get graded on a 5-point scale (1 - unacceptable; 5 - very good).

My overall averaged score was 4.48 for the session. My manager was happy; co-workers congratulated me. I went to my cube to thrash myself severely about the head and shoulders for not getting all "5's"! :eek: Duh!!!

[Steve H.]

Nope -- never get them :(

[Robinrs]

I, frankly, expect humility and like to hear people who are uncomfortable with a compliment than someone who just nods in agreement and keeps going... :rolleyes:

I give LOTS of compliments, it's just my way, and I like it when people are shy about it. It tells alot about their character. I know it's the "right" thing to do to smile and say "thank you" but I'd rather hear "this old thing?" than "why thank you" which sounds more like "yes, I know I'm gorgeous"...

[browneyes]

Originally posted by donald's daisy
after 11 years it's still difficult for me to accept a compliment from SO. And a compliment at work or anywhere else is downright impossible! I try to be gracious but it doesn't come out that way!
I've been with my SO for 13 years. I'll let you know if he ever gives me a compliment.:p So far, just complaints. Those I can handle.:teeth:


Steve H, did you get a haircut this weekend? Your hair looks great today.:)

LOL, Eeyore1954!

WDWHound, I don't know if I say thank you or not. I get too flustered.:o

[browneyes]

Robin, I bet you get lots of compliments.:) HEY! I went to 6 Flags yesterday. Don't you live near there?

[ShuisFan584]

I don't usually get a lot of compliments. But when I do, I get embarrassed, but then smile and say thank you.

[Steve H.]

Originally posted by browneyes

Steve H, did you get a haircut this weekend? Your hair looks great today.:)

:o :o Ahh shucks -- how'd you know? :D

[Kermit]

It depends. If it's something that I'm already proud of myself for, or if it's an outfit that I really love, I find that I can smile and say thank you. If someone compliments me for something I feel insecure about, I get flustered.

[browneyes]

Originally posted by Steve H.


:o :o Ahh shucks -- how'd you know? :D
I have magic powers.:p

Kermit, I feel insecure about most things that one could compliment (clothes, hair, work, etc. ).:o

ShuisFan584, I bet you get compliments all the time, too.:) With the sports stuff you're involved in and with you in general.:)

[supercarrie]

I get so embarrassed when I get a compliment. I always sort of put my head down but then look up and smile and say thank you.

[olena]

I don't know why, but I have the hardest time taking them.

I'm not shy about complimenting others though.

[Laurabearz]

I typically reply to a compliment saying..... Your full of it.... :p

I am trying to JUST say thank you and not pointing out all the reasons they were wrong to say something nice to me...

FOr example when the WHOLE family was over this past week (30 in all) they all said what a lovely house... I felt the over powering need to show then all the areas we havent redone and that the house really isnt nice coz the laundry room still looks like a laundry room.......:(

BTW Browneyes.... who are you looking at in the picture of yours????

[glo]

I am not good at recieving compliments at all, thankfully I am not in that situation often ;) I often just make a silly comment about whatever was said and let it slide. I like to give compliments though :)

[browneyes]

Laura, in my siggy? The one of me, I'm looking at my brother (he zapped the pic).

[tc]

Being an actor and singer, I get a lot of compliments, but I still don' t take them well. I like to put the praise on God for any talent I have, but it's hard sometimes to do that. I appreciate the compliments I get, but deep down I know any talent I have is God given and that's where the compliment should be directed at. When doing secular stuff it's even harder to take a compliment, because those giving it don't understand when I thank them, but say it's God's gift, not my ability. They get confused. I also get a lot of compliments on looking younger than I am. I get flustered with that, and just say it's good genes. I'd rather not get compliments, it's easier that way.

[Cindy B]

Shannon,

you and me both. I don't receive that many either, I just sort of get flustered as well.

Work ones freak me out, If I say stuff like "its part of my job", then I look ungrateful. But I also don't want to boast either.

[nativetxn]

But tc, you're just so <b>darned</b> cute :teeth:

I find it very difficult to accept a compliment gracefully. I don't find myself in the position of having to accept them very often, so it isn't a problem ;)

SteveH, I'll bet you get complimented on your gorgeous son everyday, he's such a cutie :)

[tc]

[insert little embarrassed smilie here]

[meeshi]

Yep, it is extremely hard for me to accept a compliment. Even from dh and we've been married 16 years! :confused: Why is that? When someone compliments me I try to play it down but I am trying to make an effort to just accept the compliment and say thank you. But it is so hard! :rolleyes:

[Steve H.]

Thanks Kath :D :D

[Princess Michelle]

I must be in the minority because when someone compliments me it makes me feel so good I can't help but put on a huge smile and thank them for making my day! Sometimes I do get embarrassed but it's usually when I'm complimented on something that I don't think I did very well. It still makes me feel good though. :D

[SDAngel101]

For me it depends on who is giving the compliment. For example if it is one of my friends that i hang out with i will say "oh you know it" or something along that lines because they know that i appreciate them complimenting my, but i am just trying to be funny. But if it is like someone i dont know, or a boy i have a crush on, i will just smile and say thanks, i try :p i cant help saying silly things!!

[snoopy]

I can give them with no problem, its receiving them that sends me running. I don't know why, its not really that hard to just say thanks....... :rolleyes:

[WDWHound]

Originally posted by Princess Michelle
I must be in the minority because when someone compliments me it makes me feel so good I can't help but put on a huge smile and thank them for making my day! Sometimes I do get embarrassed but it's usually when I'm complimented on something that I don't think I did very well. It still makes me feel good though. :D
I hope someday to get to the point where you are.

Its funny, the main thing I worry about is how people will interpret my response. I worry that even a simple smile and a thank you could be interpreted as either egotistical or (on the opposit extreme), not appreciative enough. Of course the other person is almost never making these judgements, they just want to pay me a complement. (sigh) I need to learn to relax.

TC: Complements about my church singing or preaching (I recently became a lay speaker in the Methodist church) are the hardest for me to respond to. Like you, I firmly beleive that any success I have in that those areas does not come from me, but I still appreciate hearing whether people got something out of a song or sermon. Its tough for me to verbally give the credit to God without coming off as "preachy", so I usually just stick with the smile and thank you.

[Diane]

Well, I used to have a lot of trouble when I was younger, especially if it was from a guy. I’d turn beet red and wouldn’t be able to say anything. I may still turn red, but at least now I can thank the person. Although, for some reason, I feel I have to explain about what was complimented (if it’s my nails – ‘they grow like crazy,’ if it’s a blouse – ‘got it at Kauffman’s).

[cotye]

I immediately scan for sarcasm though. When I younger, I was picked on at school and I found that some people gave false compliments and later snickered about it. I find it hard when people do say nice things... I get really embarrassed and wonder if there is an ulterior motive. Weird I know. LOL. :)

[browneyes]

That's not weird, Kevin. I'm sorry people were mean to you like that.:( Mariah would make you feel better though.:p

I think any discomfort I feel when given a compliment; or any "need" I feel to "discredit" someone's compliment by putting myself down in some way or "beating myself up" is an indication of insecurity within me and an "over-focus" on myself.
I totally agree with the insecurity part of that, Heather. I think that's the whole speal with me and compliments.