Last updated on October 3, 2025
Not so long ago, I was a world-class compliment deflector.
Someone would say something kind—”I love your dress!” or “You’re such a bright light!”—and I’d immediately wave it away. “Oh this old thing?” I’d say, laughing it off. Or I’d make a goofy face, stick out my tongue, or change the subject. I wasn’t exactly insecure, but I had this odd habit of lowering expectations for myself before anyone else could.
If I didn’t fully accept the compliment, I didn’t have to live up to it. If I made myself the joke first, no one else could beat me to the punchline. It was a kind of shield, one I carried around out of habit, not knowing it was keeping me small.
Then one day, someone gave me a compliment that stopped me in my tracks. I don’t even remember exactly what they said—it might have been something simple like “You’re really inspiring”—but something in me shifted. I looked into their eyes and realized: they meant it. It wasn’t flattery. It wasn’t an obligation. It was a gift.
I had been swatting away these gifts like flies.
When someone offers you kind words, they are offering a glimpse into how they see you. A reflection, often clearer and more loving than the one we give ourselves. It’s a moment of connection. To brush it off is to say, “No thanks, I don’t want to see myself that way.” But what if we did? What if we let their words reach our hearts instead of bouncing them off the armor we’ve built?
That day, I decided to change. I started saying something new.
“Thank you. You made my day.”
I say it with a full smile. I say it with presence. I say it like I mean it, because I do. It might be one of the simplest acts of grace I have learned to practice—receiving the light someone sees in me and reflecting it back with gratitude.
The beautiful part is this: everyone wins.
They get the joy of giving. I get the joy of receiving. And we both walk away with a little more light in our lives.
Think about the last time someone tried to give you a compliment. Did you let it land, or did you push it away? Did you really hear them, or did you make yourself small out of habit?
There’s a kind of courage in letting ourselves be seen. There’s a quiet power in acknowledging that maybe, just maybe, someone else sees something beautiful in us that we’ve been too busy or too hard on ourselves to notice.
When we accept compliments, we start to accept ourselves.
That’s when things begin to shift.
I coach people through some of the hardest moments of their lives. Illness, uncertainty, grief, exhaustion—these things don’t care how good we look in a dress or how someone says we light up a room. But I’ve learned something powerful through those experiences, both in my life and in the lives of those I work with.
Healing thrives in an atmosphere of kindness.
That kindness can come from others. It can come from strangers. It can come from friends, family, coworkers, or even someone passing you in the grocery store who says, “Your energy is just lovely.” But it must also come from within.
When we receive kindness instead of deflecting it, when we say thank you instead of brushing it off, we’re building a healing environment inside ourselves. One that says, “Yes, I see it too. I am worthy of kind words. I am worthy of love. I am worthy of being seen in my fullness.”
So here is a gentle challenge for today.
The next time someone offers you a compliment, take it. Let it land. Resist the urge to deflect, downplay, or joke it away. Look them in the eye and say, “Thank you. You made my day.” Let your heart feel the warmth of that moment. Let it remind you of something you might have forgotten: you are amazing.
And while we’re at it, let’s return the favor. Look for opportunities to give a compliment today. Tell someone they look radiant. Thank them for how they show up in the world. Notice something beautiful in someone else and say it out loud. You never know what they’ve been carrying or how much they needed to hear it.
Kindness is contagious. So is gratitude. Together, they create a kind of ripple effect that spreads far beyond a single conversation.
It doesn’t cost a dime to brighten someone’s day.
But it might just change everything.
So thank you. Yes, you. For reading, for being here, for walking this journey with me. You made my day.
Be well,
Leslie
About the Author
Leslie Nance is a Holistic Cancer Coach, Certified Holistic Nutritionist, speaker, and author. She helps women heal with clarity, courage, and soul. Writing and teaching about mindset, wellness, and living a life that feels as good on the inside as it looks on the outside.
