What is it about a compliment that makes the recipient queasy? The person offering it is giving a gift, one that could brighten a day, bring a smile, or even change an attitude.
But what often happens is that the recipient doesn’t know what to say and ends up saying something that diminishes the gift.
Girlfriend A tells girlfriend B, “I love your jacket.” Girlfriend B responds, “What? This old thing? It’s been in my closet for years.”
Girlfriend A tells girlfriend B, “You look great. Have you lost weight?” And girlfriend B responds, “Did you think I was heavy before?”
Finally, Girlfriend A tells girlfriend B, “I love your hairstyle.” In response, girlfriend B says, “It’s a mess; I can’t do anything with it.”
Hopefully the discerning reader sees my point. All of B’s responses don’t acknowledge the compliment; they negate it. What to do?
Simply master those two words, “Thank you.” And use them as the proper response to a compliment. The syndicated Miss Manner would be proud.
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