When you receive a compliment:

Do you smile and say thank you

or

Do you analyses it, shred it to pieces, find something in it so you will come to a conclusion that this compliment surely doesn't belong to you.

I'm in the second category

Thank you!

[silver_queen]

I usually just don't believe what the person says to me and think they are making it up to be nice... though I thank them and smile...

[SleepsWithButterFlies]

I find most people to be sincere so I usually say thanks and feel good about what they said

[Raynaadi]

Depends on the person giving me the complimetent....if it's a trusted friend, I trust it and thank them. If it's a perfect stranger, I trust it and thank them. If it's an aquaintance that I don't quite feel "right" about, then I figure they're just being nice, or I'll shred it and look for the hidden dig....I used to be worse, I'd take the latter with whoever gave me the compliment, never trusting it. So I guess it's growth, lol!

[bipolar_bear]

I am sorry to say I am in the second catagory also.

[nothemama8]

Being the optomist I'am I always say thank you cuz I know I deserve it LOL

[SeptemberMorn]

Used to, I'd think I was being lied to... until my T asked me if I thought she was a liar! YIKES!! No, I didn't! So I decided to start believing compliments. Why not? It was a damn sight better than taking in all the critisisms that I got at home! Besides, why would anyone go to the trouble of lying to me? Why would the stranger at the grocery store yell across from one check stand to the other and tell me she liked my shirt, did I make it? "Yes, thank you!" was my proud answer. When someone tells me I'm a loving person, well, hell yeah! I've got more love than I know what to do with! When someone tells me I'm strong, you betcha! Never mind that it feels like a curse sometimes. I haven't been through all the hell I've been through for nothing! Ok, so no one tells me I'm pretty but that's okay 'cause I figured that out before my tenth birthday. LOL

Time0! Believe it!! You know what I'm talking about! I'm not a "Wise Elder" for nothing, you know!

[Merlin]

I flip between the two, usually depending on my mood at the time.

[(JD)]

Good question to ask! I have had trouble with this since my injury. I had to relearn how to appreciate other's compliments. Usually, IRL, I do ok.. though sometimes it escapes me... I tell them thank you whenever I do think of it ..even if in an email.

[Rhapsody]

I usually THANK the person and smile.... feeling warm all over with the thought that someone actually took the time to acknowledge me, as a real person with real feelings and needs.

LoVe,
Rhapsody -

Second catagory, here...

I used to say thanks but....

Until I met a crisis center therapist. She figured out that every time anyone gave me a compliment I did that.. she had ample opportunity to witness this because I worked for a college that loaned out classrooms for the crisis centers workshops and training sessions.

She got me good. She made my accepting compliments with just saying thank you and no buts a goal for one week, and then every chance she got she came in to the office and say something nice to me, "your hair looks nice today" "that shirt looks great on you" Thank you for setting the room up for extra people that was thoughtful of you." "That poem you just wrote was fantastic" and I would say thanks but... and she would be right there saying "no buts just say thankyou." my friends who worked in the office with me knew why I saw her and and she knew I was very open with them otherwise she wouldnt have done this. My friends thought this was funny and joined in. "you did a great job on waxing the lounge this weekend" "Why didn't I think of that? You are so smart."

By the end of that week it was habit for me to smile and say "thank you" as time went on I expanded that with "thank you I'm glad you noticed" "thank you very much" and so on.

even now someone compliments me I just asy thank you and enjoy getting the compliments because JEH and my friends showed me that getting complmented isnt suppesed to be followed by getting hurt. Its really great thing and meant to be enjoyed and they made that week so much fun in how they came up with so many funny ways to compliment me - How can you not laugh and say thank you when someone is complimenting you on a great floor wax job while sockskating and at the very end of the compliment land do a gymnastics move and final pose.

[Lexicon78]

I usually think they want something or have an ulterior motive, so I definitely belong to the second category!

Thank you all for sharing!