More than beautiful: compliments that have nothing to do with appearance

We are so much more than our looks. These compliments go beyond that and put a smile on the other person’s face.

“You look good” or “That dress really suits your figure”: you hear these types of compliments often. Although these comments are certainly meant nicely, they are often just superficial flattery.

What sticks much more are compliments that have nothing to do with appearance. “You have a strong personality” or “Your optimism is contagious” is much better heard. Compliments that capture who you are and impact on a deeper level.

Psychologists also say that compliments are good for us. So does the scientistJudith Mangelsdorf. She is director of the German Society for Positive Psychology and on herLinkedIn Profileshe explains what makes a good compliment.

Compliments that are particularly good for us are “that are specific, relate to your personality and have no agenda other than to express honest appreciation.” If you want to go one better, the experts advise, make these authentic compliments in the presence of third parties.

By the way, nice compliments not only make the other person happy. They also mean that we improve communication with each other. A nice compliment like this not only provides the other person with happiness hormones such as dopamine or serotonin, but also reduces stress and increases self-confidence.

Reason enough to approach your fellow human beings proactively and positively and to say openly if you like someone, have great character traits or are simply good for you.

Spread Love: These compliments go deeper

Because we should all motivate and strengthen each other, you could get into the habit of not praising the other person's appearance from today on, but rather saying something great about the person themselves.

You will see: What surprises you and makes you happy will also put a smile on the faces of others. Here are a few ideas for nice compliments:

BeautifulCompliments for certain character traitsof a person

  • I admire your quick wit.
  • I like your humor.
  • You have a great way of seeing the world.
  • You have a wonderful personality.
  • You are a very warm person.
  • You are a great person.
  • I think you are very strong.
  • You're a great listener.
  • I love it when you laugh.
  • I like your creativity.
  • I admire your courage.
  • Your optimism is contagious.
  • I admire how firmly you have both feet in life.
  • I admire that you always remain calm even in stressful situations.
  • You can cope with every new situation, no matter how difficult it is.
  • You are a very warm-hearted person.
  • You are a real friend.

BeautifulCompliment the person's impact on you

  • Without you the world would be a whole lot sadder.
  • I'm glad to have met you.
  • I would drop everything immediately if you needed help. Because I know you would do the same for me.
  • You always inspire me.
  • With you I can be who I am and don't have to pretend.
  • I wish I was a little like you.
  • You always make me laugh.
  • I really enjoy working with you.
  • I would like to spend (even) more time with you.
  • Everything is twice as much fun with you.
  • I can't imagine my life without you!
  • I love having you around.
  • If it weren't for you, I would really miss you.
  • You are my favorite person.

Three types of compliments that everyone is happy about

Didn't find the right sentence for you in the compliment list? Then you should get creative yourself. So that you can put a smile on the faces of those around you, here are three types of compliments that everyone will be happy about:

1. Thoughtful compliments

Praise and recognition are most valuable when they are truly personal and fit an individual person. The more attentive we are to a fellow human being, the more likely we are to give a compliment tailored to them.

For example, if your work colleague is always in a good mood, no matter how stressful your work day is, then next time you can calmly say to her: “I think it's really great that you always stay positive even when you're stressed.” Compliments of this type show the beautiful combination of attention and appreciation.

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2. Compliment character traits

Even if we tend to be stingy with our compliments in stressful everyday life, when we do say one, it often refers to a person's appearance - for example, "Your hairstyle looks really good on you" or "Your sweater is very nice." nice!"

Of course, people are also happy to receive compliments about their appearance, but the compliments that really touch are about character. Sentences like “You always make me laugh with your humor” or “I admire your positive attitude to life” remain in our memories for a long time and strengthen our self-confidence.

3. Spontaneous compliments

A compliment comes across most sincerely when it arises spontaneously in the moment. If your trusted baker is handing you your coffee and you tell him/her out of the blue “I really enjoy coming to your place every day!”, then you are guaranteed to make him/her smile.

After all, it's the very little things that often bring us joy. And the best thing: Not only is the person you're talking to happy about the compliment, but you're also happy about it.

No matter what compliment you give someone: We hope we were able to inspire you and encourage you to openly say what positive things you think about someone. We often only say this when we are annoyed with someone. Therefore: Tell each other often what you value and like about each other. Almost everyone likes to hear nice compliments and they are so easy to say. So why skimp on it?

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