How I Learned to Accept Compliments

Giving praise to others comes naturally to me, but receiving it has always been much harder.

I’m the type of person who offers compliments to my friends and unsuspecting strangers, but I don’t know how to act when the roles are reversed.

Graphic by Chase Grivna

If I love someone’s outfit or they created something deserving of recognition, I always take the time to let them know. Yet when someone compliments my appearance or something unique about me, I feel flustered, awkward and unsure of myself.

Receiving compliments is just as meaningful as giving them, so I wanted to reduce my anxiety around accepting praise.

Not everyone struggles with compliments the way I do. Some people react to them with an effortlessness I admire. They look comfortable and confident, forming a meaningful response without hesitation rather than quickly clamming up.

The problem is, praise catches me off guard and makes me draw a blank. Once I register the complimentary words, the nerves set in. I often flash a hesitant smile while I scramble to find the right way to say thank you. In some cases, I just nod my head and try to change the subject to avoid further awkwardness.

This kind of response wasn’t a good way to show my appreciation for the kind words from others. They even made me feel dismissive of others and unfulfilled by social interactions. I realized I needed to reply with confidence, accepting kindness instead of shying away from it.

Since I’ve started college, I’ve worked on becoming more comfortable with compliments. If I took time to put together an outfit, it’s nice to hear a little praise for it. I found that most of the time, responding with simple words of gratitude was enough for me not to feel awkward.

Now, I overthink my responses much less, but I’m not completely over my anxieties quite yet. When I don’t know what to say, I use body language to acknowledge their kindness, placing my hand on my chest to communicate sincerity.

Working not to downplay or contradict compliments has given me a boost of confidence. After all, compliments are small gifts. They are reminders that you are seen and acknowledged, and learning to accept them means you are honoring both the moment and the person offering it.