See For Yourself

Ever been on the receiving end of a compliment from a friend or stranger? Anyone ever say to you:

“That's a great color on you!”

“Your hair looks great!”

“Nice shirt!”

“You look great in that dress!”

“I love your purse!”

“I like our shoes!”

Has any one of those phrases ever been directed towards you? //insert your positive affirmation here\\ Of course they have! And I'm certain on more than one occasion. Do you remember how the compliment made you feel? Did you kinda' perk up a bit? Straighten your spine a little? Inject a little pep in your step all of a sudden? Did you smile right away or try to play it cool like you get that compliment all the time? Bottom line: I don't care how you reacted, but it made you feel good. They just slapped you with an extra dose of confidence. And no matter how bad or rotten your day was going – it instantly got better. Wow...the power of a compliment. It's kind of amazing really.

I was talking to a friend last evening about this very topic, but I flipped the script a bit. Yes, we all love to be on the receiving end, but what about being on the giving end? What about being that person that makes a deliberate effort to give at least one stranger/friend a compliment every day? What's the point in that, Jaz? You're kidding, right? Remember how wonderful you felt when you got your compliment? Why not be that ray of sunshine for someone else? Even if you live in a small city or town you come in contact with people everyday. And most of the time we have no idea what any of these people are dealing with in their personal lives. And even if we have an inkling, we probably don't know the true gravity of it all and the toll it's taking. One simple, genuine compliment can make all the difference. Trust me. Affairs are started and marriages are ended because a spouse was receiving compliments from someone other than the person he/she was married to.

Compliments make you feel noticed, appreciated, and worthy. Mark Twain said, “I can live for two months on a good compliment,” and I guarantee you he wasn't kidding. They're phrases of magic...of power...and when they are truly genuine and well-placed, they can affect change. A compliment? Yes. A compliment.

So I ask, why not be that for someone else? I'm a firm believer that you reap what you sew, if you're in need of some goodness and generosity (and we all are) then start by giving some away – on a daily basis. And come on, people – it doesn't cost you a thing. Totally free. All you have to do is be thoughtful, be honest, and share it with someone. You're already thinking it: I love her haircut... I like that bag he's got... Those are some dope shoes... She is wearin' the heck outta that dress... And if you're thinking it, share it and watch what happens in return. I won't even tell you. I'm gonna let you see for yourself.

My name is Jasmynne Shaye, and this is me STEPPING ON A FEW TOES.