Why Receiving a Compliment Can Be So Damn Hard For Some People
And a few strategies for receiving compliments with grace
Some people have a difficult time receiving a compliment.
Maybe they deflect, “Naw, it’s no big deal, really.”
Sometimes they flip the compliment back on the other person, “No, you’re the real MVP.”
They minimize, “Just doing my job, ma’am.”
Then there’s self-deprecation (essentially wiping your ass with someone’s kind words). “Who me? No way. I’m terrible.”
They might even smack a compliment right out of the air, “No, I can’t take credit for that.”
People change topics, run away, sweep gratitude under the rug, and do all manner of baffling stuff to avoid actually receiving a compliment. But why? It just doesn’t make any sense.
Reasons to Avoid Receiving a Compliment
1. Fear of Vulnerability
Joy, love, and gratitude are super vulnerable. They can be downright terrifying.
Certainly you know some people that are deeply committed to being negative, pessimistic, cynical, and complainy all the time, yes? As Virginia Satir once pointed out, “People prefer…
