Your Brain's Opinion, 2

Giving and accepting compliments reflects both self-worth and Emotional Intelligence. When you deflect or deny appreciative comments it actually is a form of put-down to the person who appreciated something you did. You may as well just say, "You sure don't have any taste. Imagine you liking something then taking time to tell me about it! Avoid doing that again because you certainly lack good evaluative skills." It often takes courage for someone to offer what they perceive to be a compliment. If you catch yourself in the trap of undervaluing and underappreciating the affirmation of others, spend some time thinking about what you heard in your family growing up. Did your parents affirm each other and you or were compliments few and far between? Were the compliments received graciously or rejected? Compliments represent another brain’s opinion. Your brain may have a different opinion. However, negating or diminishing their affirmations is like throwing away something valuable. It says far more about your sense of self-worth and your level of emotional intelligence that it does the person who went out of their way to offer you the compliment.