There’s a wonderful video I found on YouTube by photographer, Gina Held, and it shows what a simple (beautiful) compliment can do. We all know the immense impact words can have on us. We learn to communicate through speech before we ever get to writing or even gestures and it’s an incredibly powerful tool. But with any tool, it can be used the right and wrong way. So watch the video and continue on to find out the right way to give a beautiful compliment!
EVERYONE IS BEAUTIFUL
Growing up we may have been called things that made us feel bad about ourselves. There were also times someone complimented us and it lifted spirits. It’s hard to forget either of those times. What people say about us (and to us) can have a profound impact on how we see ourselves.
“I wish I were beautiful.”
That might be something you may have actually said out loud. There’s no denying every one of the boys and girls in the video are beautiful. That’s because it has nothing to do with the size of your arms, the number of pimples on your face, or the symmetry of your body. Beauty is in your personality.
COMPLIMENTING THE RIGHT WAY
It’s unfortunate, but this video does reveal something very important about giving a compliment. Quite honestly I never realized the nuance until now.
We require, or at least desire, to be thought of as beautiful by others.
Imagine: What would the reactions be like if Gina had just said “You’re beautiful!” instead of “I think you’re beautiful!”
By removing the “I think” there would be a change in the way the person would accept that statement. The first sounds like a universal statement; something so big, most wouldn’t really be able to accept it. However, by saying “I think”, it’s much easier to accept because it’s only one person’s “opinion” afterall, right?
As was alluded to, one person can have a huge impact on your life with their words. This holds true with a compliment. If even one person thinks we’re beautiful it makes us feel incredible. We don’t actually need the whole world to think of us in a positive way, we just need those that are part of our lives.
Now, I’m not saying you should accept everything people say about or to you. However, it’s impossible to control how you feel all the time. I think it’s healthy to accept positive compliments as long as you don’t let them get to your ego.
So…the next time you’re about to say something nice to someone try it with “I think…” at the beginning and see what affects it has!
Jonathan How is the photographer behind Made by Ten and calls Milton his home. He specializes in creating beautiful, creative portraits of real women. He uses photography (and this blog) to help them build confidence and love for themselves and creates artistic images for their homes and offices. You can see him driving around the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) in Ontario, Canada from portrait to fashion shoot and back again.