A compliment is something we all want and we're always looking to get one. When someone speaks to us in a way that makes us feel good, we’re more likely to do the same thing toward them. But what's the true meaning of compliment? If you look up the definition, you will find that there are various meanings.
One of them can be that "a compliment is an expression of high regard or admiration for a particular quality." In other words, it helps us see the positive traits in someone or something. And no matter how many times you hear it or have observed it, we still stay interested in receiving compliments about our looks, abilities, or even our personality.
We are taught as children that compliments are a form of oral praise. It's true, but they can be more than that. There is a whole world of meaning behind compliments, unless you simply take them at face value. When you tell someone they look beautiful or amazing and they return with a 'thank you' or an appreciative smile.
There are three different reactions to the compliment which mean something entirely different. There is direct enjoyment of the visual appearance of another; then there is reflected appreciation and admiration for what that person thinks about themselves; and finally, there is psychological reassurance linked with all three kinds of compliment.
I have received a lot of compliments over the years but the ones that stand out are those that are about my abilities or talents and there's a particular one that happened last year which I can never forget. It was during my 3rd year in the university and I have started field work training at my departmental fish farm where my classmates and I were tasked with different practicals involving catfish.
One of those practicals was for us to spawn fish frys (let's just call them fish babies) and nurture them till they become fingerlings. Taking care of those babies is very difficult because they are delicate and die very easily if not properly handled. So, I took it upon myself to look after them always and make sure I follow all the laid down processes on how to handle them which includes always feeding them when it was time to feed, removing dirt from their tank every morning, and changing their water every two days.
After a while, it became an everyday routine for me and I enjoyed doing it even though I had little to no help from my classmates. Some of them realized I'm more than capable of looking after the fish on my own, so they left it all to me. As this went on, I didn't know the farm manager have noticed my efforts but I wasn't doing it for recognition or acknowledgment.
One day, the farm manager was addressing us and towards the end, he called me out in front of everyone and told them to give me a round of applause. I was confused at first and then he went ahead to say that he has always noticed me taking care of the little fishes and that because of my efforts, none of them have died. He mentioned that since he has been the farm manager of the fish farm for 7 years, I'm the first student to successfully take care of fish frys without any of them dying.
He gave me a handshake and said I'm a very diligent and hardworking student and he wished my classmates will emulate me. I was totally surprised by the whole thing and I got goosebumps all over me that day. I felt on top of the world coz the last time someone praised me like that in front of a lot of people was back in junior secondary school.
After the compliments from the farm manager, I became more motivated to keep taking care of the fish frys. I doubled my efforts and made sure I took care of them even more than before. That's the thing with compliments; they can go a long way towards boosting the morale of the person that receives them and that's why we all love receiving compliments; it makes us feel good about ourselves and that will automatically make us more productive.
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Edited with Canva