Bite-size writing
Why You Should Gracefully and Gratefully Accept a Compliment
Don’t force them to repeat twice just so you’ll believe them
As a child, my mom told me that if you don’t accept a compliment, it means you want to hear it again. People often do it twice to make you feel you deserve their word then accept it.
I knew she was joking, but my inner voice was like, “Yep, that’s true.”
I found a study that says people who reject compliments usually have low self-esteem. People with low self-esteem might doubt compliments from themselves but believe criticism from themselves and others equally.
I used to think accepting compliments made me look narcissistic and less humble. Realizing this was the first sign that I still struggled with low self-esteem because I cared too much about others’ opinions.
My heart might secretly wish the person would repeat the compliment, hoping it might make me believe it since I struggle to believe it myself.
I never learned self-worth from my parents, as they were both people-pleasers. I thought it was insignificant until I realized it was holding me back and shaping a deep belief that was hard to shake.
