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Post by crazy4scraps on Feb 28, 2018 4:36:43 GMT
My DD, age 11, is just the best at this. It is amazing to watch people respond. She is filled with fear normally but when she wants to pay you a compliment, you are going to get a compliment. It is one of my favorite things about her. I always perk up when we are out and I hear her say, "Excuse me, Ma'am, I love your ____." Granted it is almost always your earrings, hair or baby but sometimes she'll throw in your shoes, or your dress. Sometimes, I struggle with this as I don't want her to focus on people's outsides, shape, etc, etc. but teaching kindness is also a good thing. This is my DD too, she never hesitates to pipe up when she sees someone whose hair, shoes, clothes or nails, etc. that she likes. She will also tell people their baby (or dog) is cute. The thing I most often compliment people on are their well behaved children. I don’t typically notice all that often what people are wearing or what they look like, probably because I don’t really care what I look like when I leave the house for random errands. If I’m clean and reasonably well groomed, that’s all that matters to me and I don’t expect anyone to notice I’m wearing my “nice” t-shirt today, LOL.
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gina
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Post by gina on Feb 28, 2018 4:38:50 GMT
I compliment strangers often. I think the last time I was complimented was on my nail color. lol I tend to get that a lot when I go to pay for things!
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Post by melanell on Feb 28, 2018 4:44:40 GMT
I'm sad to say that I think it's been since around Halloween that I've complimented a stranger. ![:(](//storage.proboards.com/5645536/images/mYSUyHtG9Jrcmm_ydVcK.jpg) Although, in my defense (just a tiny bit), I'm quite the homebody during the winter months.
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Post by cadoodlebug on Feb 28, 2018 4:55:09 GMT
I do it fairly often and I usually get a favorable response. I especially enjoy complimenting older adults as sometimes they become invisible to others. Anytime I see an older man wearing a military cap, I try to engage them and let them know my dad was a 30-year Navy man. I've had many delightful conversations with vets.
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Post by elaine on Feb 28, 2018 5:00:19 GMT
I do it all the time to the embarrassment of my family, especially my teenage sons.
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StephDRebel
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Post by StephDRebel on Feb 28, 2018 5:16:58 GMT
I have a policy that if I think something kind about someone I speak it out loud. I realized that I would notice things and get so nervous to say it out loud that I just didn't and I didn't like that.
I was taken aback last week in Hobby Lobby. I almost ran into a guy back by the art supplies and then again near the beads. When I was in the wedding section he came up again and started with 'excuse me' I was wondering how in the world he thought I worked there and he blurted out that he kept wanting to compliment me but got nervous but that he found me again to tell me he loved my style.
I didn't know I had a style but I asked him if he wanted to be my new best friend. ha. He made my night on a night when I really needed it.
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hannahruth
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Post by hannahruth on Feb 28, 2018 5:19:10 GMT
LilyRose , I do that too, and often speak to a manager to let them know. At first I get worried looks from the front staff when I ask to speak with a manager, and the manager always seems surprised that I'm not complaining! This is what DH often does - he says everyone is so quick to complain but not so quick to compliment good service. I complimented a lady who sat beside me in the physio' office early this week. She was wearing such a great perfume so I told her.
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hannahruth
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Post by hannahruth on Feb 28, 2018 5:20:26 GMT
LilyRose , I do that too, and often speak to a manager to let them know. At first I get worried looks from the front staff when I ask to speak with a manager, and the manager always seems surprised that I'm not complaining! This is what DH often does - he says everyone is so quick to complain but not so quick to compliment good service. I complimented a lady who sat beside me in the physio' office early this week. She was wearing such a great perfume so I told her.
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Post by betty on Feb 28, 2018 5:51:40 GMT
I'm Southern and compliments come easy. As I've aged I've inherited my mother's Blanche Deveraux voice so sometimes I even have to be careful that it sounds sincere like I mean it an not like empty flattery because of my accent. In January at the DMV with my son and I fell in LOVE on the spot with the driving tester's layered haircut for fine hair like mine.. but I waited until he was done and had passed his road test to compliment her amazing cut because I know how it would sound if I said "OMG! I love your hair!" in a big ol' Southern drawl before they hit the road. ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/5645536/images/MNrJDkDuSwqIMVw33MdD.jpg)
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Post by AussieMeg on Feb 28, 2018 6:11:52 GMT
And I will say that being overweight and being treated as invisible or getting nasty looks and comments has really made me more apt to do this, especially with someone I feel may not get complimented often. Yes I try to make more of an effort with people I think may not get complimented often. The girl whose hair I complimented recently is one such person, I think. She is very overweight and even though I see her most days, she always avoids eye contact, she seems to be either introverted or self conscious. Rarely does a day go by without someone or multiple someone's complimenting my hair. It gets it's fair share of random comments as well....and people wanting to touch it. Well yeah, I get that -*I* totally want to touch your hair! I have told men that their cologne is fantastic A female colleague and I once told a male colleague, who was visiting from another office, that he smelled lovely, and asked what cologne he was wearing. He is an older man (recently retired) and is quite conservative. We weren't sure whether we embarrassed or delighted him.
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Post by AussieMeg on Feb 28, 2018 6:12:06 GMT
One other thing that I forgot to mention in my OP - recently I have tried to make the compliments more personal and genuine. For example, instead of saying "I love your shirt" I will say "You look fabulous in that shirt" or "I love your shirt, you look great in it." That way I am complimenting the person and not just the item of clothing or whatever.
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Post by malibou on Feb 28, 2018 7:20:08 GMT
Now that I think of it, I don't compliment strangers near enough :/ I do however with friends and acquaintances. Hopefully that kind of makes up for it! Rarely does a day go by without someone or multiple someone's complimenting my hair. It gets it's fair share of random comments as well....and people wanting to touch it. Every time I see your avatar totally want to touch your hair, but irl I wouldn't ask.
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RedSquirrelUK
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Post by RedSquirrelUK on Feb 28, 2018 8:10:50 GMT
Last time I went clothes shopping there was another lady who was umming and ahhing over whether a dress looked good on her. I told her it did, and how it suited her, and her face lit up. That kind of giving is a gift for the giver as well as the receiver.
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Post by lesserknownpea on Feb 28, 2018 10:25:36 GMT
One other thing that I forgot to mention in my OP - recently I have tried to make the compliments more personal and genuine. For example, instead of saying "I love your shirt" I will say "You look fabulous in that shirt" or "I love your shirt, you look great in it." That way I am complimenting the person and not just the item of clothing or whatever. This. I have made it a point to vocalize positive things about the people I come across in a given day, for the most part they respond happily, and if they’re the random person who doesn’t seem to like it, whatever. But within the last decade, I’ve made it a point to compliment in a way that is less about things and more the person themselves. “You have a great smile”, “That color looks so good on you”, “ I love your hair”,( I say this a lot, as I do not have good hair and notice others’ ). It’s fun to me to come up with sincere, meaningful compliments and add them to the hustle and bustle of my day.
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Post by monklady123 on Feb 28, 2018 11:14:35 GMT
Sometimes I do, but probably not often enough. You're right, and I'll make more of an effort to do it.
I remember once not too long ago I was working my way through the grocery store (and I HATE shopping), and I came around the corner of an aisle to see this woman, middle-age type, is the most gorgeous skirt...it was shades of blue (which is my favorite color) all swirled around and it just looked like spring (it's the middle of winter here). Without even thinking I said "wow, what a gorgeous skirt!" She smiled and said thank you. But with a skirt like that I hope I'm not the only one who complimented her.
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anniebygaslight
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Post by anniebygaslight on Feb 28, 2018 11:15:26 GMT
I have no qualms about complimenting strangers. no adverse reactions so far.
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desertgirl
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Post by desertgirl on Feb 28, 2018 12:19:18 GMT
I compliment people all the time, and I make a special effort to engage with little kids in a positive way. I love their beaming smiles!
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maryannscraps
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Post by maryannscraps on Feb 28, 2018 12:31:51 GMT
Recently, the office manager for a company I work for came back from an extended stay in the hospital. I'd heard she'd had a bad infection. I blurted out to her that she looked wonderful, and she gave me a puzzled look. I told her that I'd heard she'd been in the hospital and had expected to see her looking tired and ill, but she looked glowing and happy. Totally made her smile. What I didn't realize was that she'd had an infection from weight loss surgery, and she'd been getting lots of comments on how much weight she lost. She told me that my compliment made her day because it wasn't about her weight.
I've been trying to keep that in mind.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 28, 2018 12:33:59 GMT
I never compliment strangers, the thought of it breaks me out in a sweat!
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uksue
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Post by uksue on Feb 28, 2018 12:37:37 GMT
I do if the person seems receptive. I complimented a woman on her lovely coach handbag a few weeks ago- she was thrilled. I then found the same bag on depop for £40 and snapped it up lol.
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Post by LisaDV on Feb 28, 2018 12:55:15 GMT
I do. Probably my small town kind of south upbringing. Usually most people light up, only had a few with the excuse me or weirded out look, but after I repeat myself with a smile there is usually a quiet thank you and a slight smile.
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Post by jenjie on Feb 28, 2018 13:38:44 GMT
I do. Just a few weeks ago I complimented an elderly woman on her beautiful smile. And watched it grow even brighter. 😊
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Post by jeremysgirl on Feb 28, 2018 14:01:10 GMT
I give a lot of compliments to strangers. I think because I am the kind of person who often says what they're thinking out loud, they just kind of come natural to me. I have to work to put my filter on.
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Post by lemondrop on Feb 28, 2018 15:15:38 GMT
I do random stranger compliments! And I receive them every now and again. I agree - it really brightens up the day. The other day, I was in an elevator and there was a little girl around 3 or 4 with (I assumed) her mom and grandparents. She was wearing a headband with cat ears. I said, "I like your cat ears." She said thank you, then a few seconds later said, "I like your shoes." My plain black loafers. It made me laugh because she was obviously looking for something to compliment and I appreciated that she "got it" even at such a young age. ![](https://media.fotki.com/2v2JGmVoCxA5eGL.gif)
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Anita
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Post by Anita on Feb 28, 2018 15:18:12 GMT
Someone complimented my pants today and it totally made my day. I will compliment a stranger if they seem approachable, and I'm pretty introverted. I just know how it makes me feel when someone says something kind to me, so I like to pass it along.
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Post by crazy4scraps on Feb 28, 2018 15:29:06 GMT
This thread just made me think of something. If my birthday hadn’t already passed, it would be a fun and inexpensive way to celebrate and see if I could do “#xx acts of random kindness” by giving out the number of compliments to match my age to random strangers on my birthday. It would be a fun challenge because I too am kind of a homebody and I’d be willing to bet I don’t even see 50 different people a week normally. Just imagine if every one of those people went on to have a brighter, happier day themselves as a result, how far that influence could travel and how much nicer the world would be! I’m going to try to remember that for next year.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 28, 2018 15:52:47 GMT
I compliment strangers and I receive compliments from strangers. Kinda makes my day!
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marimoose
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Post by marimoose on Feb 28, 2018 16:02:26 GMT
I do this all the time, always have, much to the embarrassment of my family although my daughter is trying hard to do it herself and I will get random texts some days telling me that she has and the response. I think she gets it now that it is once to give and receive compliments. I have always told my kids that the person you show a kindness (no matter the form) may be the only kindness they received that day. One little act can indeed change someone's day and even if this isn't the case, it sure is a nice thing to do.
I complimented a little girl on the boots she was wearing the other day. Her Mom smiled, I suppose knowing I wasn't a threat, as her daughter grinned and as she shuffled her little boots she began telling me the entire story of why she got those boots. She went horseback riding for the first time ever for a friend's birthday. She was adorable and her story made me smile for her as I told her how much I loved riding horses too. Again, offering a compliment brings joy to the giver too. BTW - I am careful before i speak to children because I wouldn't want them to be forced to speak to a stranger if they are taught otherwise. In this case we were standing in line at Joanns and the mother was friendly before I spoke to her child.
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Post by refugeepea on Feb 28, 2018 16:52:11 GMT
I'm normally too occupied with my own thoughts when I go out. I don't know the last time I complimented a stranger but it was the cutest little girl (while the mom was standing there). She looked at me like I was crazy AF. I've decided it's best to avoid doing that anymore. I probably come across the wrong way.
The last time a stranger complimented me? I don't make an effort with my appearance. I wear clothes, my hair is combed, and I'm clean.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 28, 2018 17:20:50 GMT
Oh, I'll be the big old wet blanket and say that I almost never compliment anyone, stranger or not, on their physical appearance or their "beauty" choices. I will compliment on actions, behaviors, etc. when I can. I really hate the extreme emphasis we put on the importance of looking good or being pretty. I am not immune to perking up when complimented myself, so I get it, but I try not to be an active participant in something that I, me, myself, personally, think is something we should be moving away from not perpetuating.
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