Good Compliments to Give Someone

Giving a compliment to someone can really brighten their day as well as yours. Compliments help to strengthen relationships and can uplift the moods of both the giver and receiver, according to psychologist Alice Boyes, Ph.D., in her "Psychology Today" article "5 Ways to Give a Compliment." Encourage someone in your life with a good compliment and keep them smiling all day long.

Think of a way this person is an inspiration to you and how he is a role model for something you desire to do in your own life. Perhaps your brother is a straight-A student; you could say to him, "Your hard work is what motivates me to keep trying to get better grades this semester." Maybe your best friend participated in a lengthy marathon. You could say to him, "After seeing your determination to make it to the finish line, I now know I can achieve my own goals."

This person likely has certain traits that make her a great person to hang around with. Figure out what characteristics you admire about someone, such as being resourceful or a great connector, Boyes says. If your girlfriend always finds the positive in a negative situation, you could tell her, "Your optimistic personality is one of the traits I adore the most about you." Maybe your cousin is always willing to share anything she has with you. You could say to her, "I really appreciate your kindness and generosity."

Find something about this person that shows he has good taste. It can be something that you like yourself, such as his fashion sense or choice of music. Perhaps your coworker wears the best ties to work; you could say, "Hey, cool tie! Where did you get it? You have such a great sense of style." If you overhear your roommate listening to the same album that you have as part of your own music collection, you could say, "Great minds think alike! I just uploaded the whole album to my playlist!"

Take the opportunity to celebrate someone's uniqueness. Compliment someone on something they have not heard before to really show you have been paying close attention to them, according to the "Good Housekeeping" article "The Power of Praise" by Gretchen Rubin. Perhaps everyone compliments your girlfriend on her curly hair; you could say, "Let's not forget that your eyes are beautiful too." Maybe everyone always raves over how your boyfriend is an excellent guitarist. you could say, "Not only can you play the guitar like a pro, but you're the best cook in the world."