The best compliment is any compliment!
One of my love languages is affirmation, I love to get a compliment. In fact, I don’t know anyone who doesn’t appreciate a compliment. The problem is that most people will think something nice about someone, and never tell them. My dad is the king of compliments. He always taught me that if I think something nice, say it. Everyone loves a compliment. He told me to never make up a compliment but find something nice about everyone. Though I may give out compliments constantly, because I see so much awesomeness around me, it’s the best advice I have ever received. Not only does it lift those around me, it lifts me as well. As you look for the best in others, you forget yourself and everyone feels better. It is fun to look at life through glasses of optimism. Often with a compliment comes a smile, not only from the one giving the compliment, but from the one receiving it, making all situations happier. Because of this great advice I learned as a young girl, I find myself to be complimentary at home as well. What a blessing! It keeps the home full of love. My kids have been raised this way as well, and they also hand out compliments often. I am a recipient of these compliments and they always make my day better. Sometimes it’s in person, and sometimes I will wake up to a sweet text sent the night before. Regardless of when I get the compliments from the kids, they always bring happiness. I believe this is a huge key to keeping happiness in our lives and in our homes. President David O. McKay gave this valuable counsel, “Start out to make somebody else happy and see how quickly your own soul is filled with joy.”
“As we consider the principles that should guide us in the Church and at home, let me close with an illustration from the biography of President Thomas S. Monson. Ann Dibb, the Monsons’ daughter, says that to this day, when she walks in the front door of the house where she was raised, her father will say, “Oh, look who’s here. And aren’t we glad, and isn’t she beautiful?” She goes on to say: “My parents always give me some compliment; it doesn’t matter what I look like or what I’ve been doing. … When I go and visit my parents, I know I am loved, I am complimented, I am made welcome, I am home.”
Brothers and sisters, this is the Lord’s way. Even if you’ve been mistreated in the past, I know the Lord wants you to come unto Him. All are loved. All are welcomed.” -Larry Y. Wilson
With a world full of negativity, we all need to make an effort to add positivity into our own lives, and others lives. There is no better way than by speaking kind words. As I watch the increasing sarcasm and bullying, I feel our homes need to be a place where our children and spouses feel safe from all degrading, and hurtful words. Even more important, a place where they are built up and strengthened. From there we will build habits of kindness that we can carry with us everywhere we go, leaving rays of sunshine for those we come across.
“An excellent way to express gratitude is by giving sincere praise. Praise lifts both the giver and the receiver. Mark Twain said, “I can live for two months on a good compliment,” and most of us feel the same way.
God showed us the importance of giving praise by His own perfect example. At the baptism of Jesus, Heavenly Father announced, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17).
Jesus Himself gave many compliments during His ministry. Some of them are recorded in the scriptures. Remember when He first met Nathanael, who later became one of the Twelve Apostles. The Lord praised Nathanael’s honest character by saying of him, “Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom [there] is no guile!” (John 1:47).
When John the Baptist was in prison, the Savior made a point of praising this good man publicly. Jesus said, “Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist” (Luke 7:28).
When the Roman centurion asked Jesus to heal his servant, the Lord paid him the supreme compliment. He said, “Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in [all] Israel” (Matthew 8:10).
And don’t forget Nephi, son of Helaman. One day when he was especially discouraged, the voice of the Lord came to him and delivered these words of praise:
Blessed art thou, Nephi, for those things which thou hast done; for I have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness declared the word, which I have given unto thee. . . .
. . . Behold, I will bless thee forever. [Helaman 10:4–5]
If we truly want to emulate the Lord, we need to be looking for the good in others and then voicing it. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, of good report, or praiseworthy, we should be seeking after these things (see Articles of Faith 1:13). Praise is a precious gift that costs the giver nothing. So if you see something, say something.” -Larry R. Lawrence
Larry shares a story about the joy that comes from compliments. “When I was called as a General Authority, my first assignment was to move to Moscow, Russia. I was very humbled to serve in the Area Presidency, especially as I thought of the history of the area. The countries in Eastern Europe were formerly under communistic rule, and many of the old attitudes still prevailed.
President Russell M. Nelson was assigned to advise our area. He has a wealth of experience, having opened Russia and most of the surrounding countries for the preaching of the gospel. Although he lived far away in Salt Lake City, I communicated with him on a regular basis by email or by phone while I served as the Area President. I was constantly reporting what was happening in Eastern Europe and asking for his inspired counsel.
After several weeks I began to see a pattern. Whenever I received an email from President Nelson, it contained more than just excellent advice. It always included some complimentary words and a positive message to encourage our presidency. His example made me want to lift others as he had lifted me. I learned that kindness is contagious.” -Larry R. Lawrence
Let’s decide today to be a little kinder everyday.
Let’s hand out compliments constantly!
Let’s lift others higher than ourselves!
-Sherri Jorgensen
Recent Comments