🎁 Part 1: The Secret to Giving a Great Compliment
I explained to Cool Joe that a compliment is like a little gift of kindness you give to someone with your words. To make it a really great gift, you just have to remember two simple secrets.
- Secret #1: Be Specific! Instead of just saying something general like “nice drawing,” try to point out exactly what you like. Do you like the colors? The shapes? The feeling it gives you?
- Secret #2: Be Sincere! A good compliment comes from the heart. Say what you truly feel! When you are honest, your kindness shines right through.
Cool Joe decided to try again. He looked at my painting and said, “Oh, I get it! Phoenix, I love how you used bright yellow to make the sun look so happy and cheerful!”
Now that was a wonderful compliment! It was specific, it was sincere, and it made me feel amazing. Which brings us to the second part of our mission!
💬 Part 2: The Secret to Receiving a Compliment
When Cool Joe gave me that wonderful compliment, my face lit up with a huge smile. I said, “Thank you so much, Cool Joe! That’s so kind of you to say.”
Cool Joe asked a great question. “Why didn’t you just say it was an okay painting or that you messed up on the flowers?”
I told him that when someone gives you a compliment, they are handing you a gift. If you say, “No, it’s not that good,” it’s like pushing their gift away. That can make the person who gave you the compliment feel a little awkward or sad.
The kindest and most confident thing to do is to simply accept their gift of words with a smile. The two most powerful words you can use are:
“Thank you!”
That’s all it takes! Accepting a compliment gracefully makes the other person feel good for giving it, and it allows you to feel good for receiving it.
So, the two parts of our Compliment Mission are simple! First, give compliments that are specific and come from the heart. Second, when you get one, accept it with a happy “Thank you!” It’s a true win win for kindness.
Happy complimenting!
– Phoenix & Cool Joe