The other day I was chatting with friends and one of my friends commented on how trendy I was looking today, admittedly I was feeling great, wearing a new short skirt and a cute designer jacket and leather boots, but her comment about me having great legs was completely ignored by me. My reply was "I think you have great legs and I would love to have hair as gorgeous as yours."
Why had I not heard her compliment? which led me to wonder "Did she hear mine about her?" I bet she didn't, and if she did she didn't believe it. I was even able to give her an example of the cute dress and leggings she had had on the previous week, but I bet she dismissed my compliment as quickly as I dismissed hers. Why is this?
Okay so there are people who say things that they think people want to hear for various reasons, to be liked, to get on the persons good side etc But for most of the time most of us, give a compliment because we notice something nice and want to say it. Its that simple. If I see someone carrying a gorgeous bag - I will tell her (and secretly imagine it on my arm!) because its nice for someone to compliment us isn't it?
If it is why do we ignore them so often?
Women especially seem to only notice their bad points, instead of rose tinted glasses we seem to have the opposite - What would they be I wonder? manure coloured perhaps?
This led me to wondering, women are affected by so many external influences, what the celebs are wearing, what the mags say IS fashionable, What the shops tells us we SHOULD be wearing. I wonder do these external influences undermine our ability to trust our own judgment on things? Do these restrict us from believing that we too are beautiful because we don't conform to a magazine cover?
So here's an idea - What would happen if we all believed all the compliments we are given from now on. I wonder how long before we would be less critical of our lumpy bits when we look in the mirror, and maybe we might even start to notice the shining luscious hair and radiant smile first instead of the cellulite under the bingo wings.
I for one am going to give it a try. Hey here's another thought - would the criticism from the outside world feel so detrimental to our well being if we have raised the level of our own belief about ourselves?
If you are going to give this a go, I will give you a piece of advice that I learnt from a very wonderful, inspiration and successful woman. if you cant accept the compliment with the simple word "Thank you" just say nothing at all.
So what do you say?
Give it a go - Hear every compliment from this moment on, and learn to shine from the inside out. If you shine enough you wont even be able to see the cellulite through all that light!
Id love to hear how this goes for you - and I will let you know how I get on too.
Have fun shining!
