Why is it so hard to take compliments?
THEN: Before kids, I could take a compliment any day and
welcomed them! Who wouldn’t like a guy ‘oogling’ over them at the bar or
telling them they looked good? In my eyes THEN, I had no ‘flaws.’ I was proud
to show off the body God gave me. I was given a compliment and I smiled and
said ‘thank you,’ sometimes it even led to talking more with someone.
NOW: 15 some years and four amazing kids later, unfortunately
my grace in taking compliments, is no longer present. My husband compliments me
all the time, ‘you look gorgeous,’ ‘those pants make your butt look amazing,’ ‘your
hair looks cute today,’ I_could_go_on!
I usually just brush it off, laugh and give him an eye roll, or give him a halfhearted
‘thanks.’ The truth is, he is going out
of his way to tell me what he thinks, I should at least give a ‘thank you’ and
a hug or kiss or look at him and tell him I appreciate it.
The same goes with my friends. I met up with a longtime
friend that I hadn’t seen for over 15 years for some drinks. When we greeted each
other, he said ‘you look great, you haven’t changed.’ In my head I was
thinking, yeah right, no way is he serious! Out loud I chuckled and said, ‘oh
thanks!’ Another day I was at the gas station and I heard someone whistle. I looked
around to see who it was and who it was directed at. Come to find out, the guy
in the gas lane next to me staring at me and smiling. He said, ‘man mama, you
look good!’ I didn’t know what to say as a response, so I leaned my head in my
car and started talking to my kids. Why_couldn’t_I_just_say_thank_you?
It all comes down to how we see ourselves. Back THEN I saw
nothing but beautiful…NOW I see how much I’ve changed. I’ve had four kids and man_do_they_take_a_toll_on_your_body!
Not only that, but I am never going to snap back to my 110 lb body from THEN!
Here’s the things, I know I am grateful for; being able to
have kids, for being able to exercise and for others to still feel the urge to
compliment me. It comes down to the way we see ourselves vs. how other see us.
We should try and see ourselves through the eyes of others. They see how far we’ve
come in life and the obstacles we overcome. Sometimes our eyes only see what’s
close and in the current picture frame.
THEN NOW
How are you at taking compliments?! Does it come natural and
easy for you to proudly accept them?
1 comment:
It's hard at times, but then I sit back and say you know what dang I've come a long way. So life isn't perfect but it's trying that makes it that away.
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