Compliment someone

I tried an amazing experiment recently. After years of being a greeter at church, and noticing that our church was home to a lot of vibrant, middle-aged women, I asked myself “How many of these women have you told that they’re beautiful?”  The answer was a very sad “not many.”

So I decided that, on the following Sunday, I would find something beautiful about every woman over age 30, and compliment them on it.  I knew that our congregation was far too large to compliment everyone, so I needed to establish an age limit.

That Sunday, I complimented women on the beauty of their shoes, scarves, hairdos, jewelry, and everything in between. And I meant it.

The result was simply amazing.

Each woman I spoke to welcomed the compliment with a radiant smile.  Those that walked in with their heads hung low, raised them and stood taller.  Some that were simply strolling in, gained a little pep in their step.

A woman in her seventies smiled and said “No one has told me I was beautiful since my husband died, ten years ago.”  Her comment brought tears to my eyes. I gave her a huge hug.

Another told me that she was depressed and wasn’t going to leave the house that day, but was now glad that she did. I hugged her, too.

The visual change in every woman was immediately noticeable, and very well received and I could tell that it soared far beyond the visual and into their spirit.  And the best part of all was the warmth that I felt from bringing happiness to so many, through a simple kind word.

So, sometime this week at work, church, the gym, the grocery store or wherever you might roam, give a sincere compliment to a stranger or someone you know.  You might find that you’re the reason they left their house today. They’ll love how it makes them feel and so will you.