I love a good holiday that’s all about fun, but even more than that I love a great holiday that’s all about making a difference. Have you seen how quickly you can brighten someone’s day just by offering a sincere compliment? Their eyes sparkle, their face lights up, and their smile can’t be contained.

Quite simply, compliments make people happy. Both the giver and the receiver feel good about themselves and each other. Compliments increase feelings of self worth, pride, and mutual well being. A compliment from a boss on the job can go a long way toward boosting morale and even increasing productivity in the workplace. A compliment can be a great way to start a conversation or lift someone’s spirits.

Hans Poortvliet, of the Netherlands, created National Compliment Day to address the basic human need for recognition and appreciation. The special day’s popularity quickly grew and expanded across the world, necessitating the name change to World Compliment Day. Now it’s a global initiative to make it the most positive day in the world!

Participating in World Compliment Day is simple and easy. As you come into contact with people today, whether in person, over the phone, or online, think about them and who they are. What do you like about them? What is something they do well? What have you noticed about them that is admirable? Give them a compliment that is positive, honest, and sincere.

Family Compliment Challenge

What does World Compliment Day have to do with families? Make it a family challenge! I challenged my family to compliment 3 people today, and I’m looking forward to hearing about their experiences at dinner tonight. I just sent my people a quick text in the morning with the family challenge, but there are some fun ways you could set them up to succeed.

• Give each family member 3 pieces of candy to keep in their pocket. Obviously, you’ll want to choose something that won’t melt and make a big mess. Something individually wrapped like Starburst, Werthers Original, or another hard candy would work well. As they hand out their compliments, they can eat the piece of candy. Or they may want to hand out the candy with the compliment.
• Give older kids a pad of post-it notes they can use to stick compliments to lockers or desks.
• It can be fun to make someone happy anonymously. The night before the family challenge, each family member can think about the people they will see the next day. Write each compliment in a note and find a way to deliver the notes secretly.

How to Give a Compliment

Be sure to remember some basic do’s and don’ts of compliments:

• DO be genuine. Give sincere and honest appreciation. Go beneath the surface and think about what you really admire about them.
• DO say it clearly and sound like you mean it. If you tend to go heavy on the sarcasm, you may need to make a special effort to watch your tone of voice so you sound sincere.
• DO make it about them. “You have great taste. That dress looks amazing on you.” I statements are great for conflict resolution, but when you’re giving a compliment, word it in a way that makes it clear it’s all about them.
• DO be specific. “You have a talent for bringing out the best in your team and really showcasing their unique talents” is much better than “good job.” Tell them exactly what impressed you so much you wanted to make sure they knew it.
• DON’T return a compliment just to fill a void or for the sake of saying something. Be sincere!
• DON’T use compliments to fish for your own. Be sincere! (are you seeing a pattern???)
• DON’T dish out the same compliment over and over again. You will sound
• DON’T give backhanded compliments. Don’t use compliments as a passive-aggressive way to dish out insults.

How to Take a Compliment

While we’re talking about compliments, let’s talk about what to do when you’re on the receiving end. It’s important to know how to take a compliment. It’s really very simple:

Say thank you.

That’s it! You can add a smile in there. You can even reply with a sincere compliment of your own, if you’d like. But don’t give excuses or downplay your awesomeness. Don’t disagree or tear yourself down. Don’t make a face, scoff, or roll your eyes. Don’t say it was nothing or not worthy of praise. Someone just gave you an honest opinion of what they like about you. Just take the compliment and say thank you.

Bring on World Compliment Day and do your part to make this the most positive day in the world! Will you take the challenge to compliment 3 people today?