Sometimes all it takes is one person saying a small, nice thing for your entire day to be turned around. Nothing really beats an unexpected compliment, especially coming from an unexpected source or about something you’ve never been complimented on. Everyone deserves to feel appreciated and loved. <3
People on Reddit were asked: “What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received?” These are some of the best answers.
A couple of years ago ago I was asked to help an autistic guy (about 17 at the time) out by having a day of fun with him at a theme park. We had a lot of fun and he was no trouble at all. At the end of the day he turned to me very seriously and said: “I know you are with me because of what I am, but you did not make me feel like that at all. You actually seemed to enjoy me and our day together. I am really happy someone can just accept what I am and not constantly talk about how they accept me.”
Thoarxius
A student told me as she was about to walk into the stadium for her graduation ceremony that I had been like a dad to her for the last four years. There was a lot of dust in the air. It may have looked like I was crying.
Donner1701
Years ago, when my wife and I were walking on the sidewalk and a lady yelled from her car driving by “He is fine! You better hold onto that!” … It made our day, and still, when I think about it, it’s a confidence booster.
MustachioWizard
The best compliment I ever received was from my best friend since high school on being the Godfather to his son.
“Out of everyone I know, you were the only person I could think of who could raise my son better than me.”
dakota49
“You’re the best daddy ever!” – my 4 year old
iwishiwasbritish
I was working at a coffee shop and one day an older woman came in. She ordered and I was making her drink and making small talk, she really didn’t stand out at all, just a regular customer. As I handed her her drink she paused and said “You know, you have a really beautiful smile” and I started to say thank you and she interrupted and said, ” No really, your smile is a gift and people with gifts like that should be aware they have them.” I was so taken aback I didn’t even know what to say, and she just walked off. It comes to mind every time I’m in a bad mood and brightens my smile a bit.
Theface96
Was working as a cashier at a popular fast food place and this middle aged woman tipped me $20 and said, “This is for your nice smiles.” Highlight of my career.
uckItCestLaVie
Knocked a box of nachos off a shelf and caught it without looking. The guy behind me said “Nice catch”.
Garden_head
“You’ve raised a very respectful and empathetic little girl.” Made me tear up.
Heatedfuse
After a church funeral service, the widow of the deceased came to see me in the organ loft and said, “Your music helped turn what could have been a mournful occasion into a celebration of my husband’s life. Thank you.”
I’ve never forgotten her kindness and thoughtfulness in saying so.
Back2Bach
It was small, but being told “You’re actually a really nice guy,” by a girl felt really good.
Dwyerizer77
I was having one of my weekend visits with my boy after a particularly hard week, and as I was tucking him into bed, he asks me, “What do you think heaven is like?”
I told him, “Well, I don’t know. But I guess heaven is a place where you’re always happy, you have everything you want, and you feel nothing but love and peace all the time.”
And then he says, “I think you’re my heaven.”
thudly
A neurologist told me I had an unremarkable brain. I was delighted.
zerbey
Tried on a tight, slinky dress yesterday and an older woman said, “That dress looks stunning on you, especially on your bottom.”
I’ve worked really hard for dat….bottom. I bought the dress even though I don’t really need it.
color_me_curious
I wrote something in a creative writing class that made a girl laugh so much she started hyperventilating and had to leave. That was a pretty good compliment.
Spivsy
“I want you to marry my daughter” from my best friend’s dad. I’ll never forget that.
Mr_Norden
Had skin cancer removed from my face a few years ago that left a deep, long, vertical scar on my cheek. I (female) entered JFK airport confused and overwhelmed when a male worker helped me find a luggage cart. I thanked him, to which he replied, “Mmm hmm… Witcha beautiful complexion.”
That was the day I beat skin cancer.
scumbagstudent
While bussing tables I had a father come over to me and ask me if I was the goalkeeper for our local high school. I told him I was and he told me that my playing was the reason why his 12 year old daughter wanted to be a goalkeeper and he would take her to our home games so she could study my playing. He then asked me if I could take a picture with her and I did.
A year later I got a career ending injury that is still heartbreaking today. But knowing I did something to help out another young woman really does help me when the sadness of losing everything I had worked so hard for gets too difficult to manage. I hope she’s out there playing now.
laugidem
I’m learning Italian and I’m terrible at learning new languages. The other day I was having a conversation with an Italian who just blurts out I wish I could speak English as well as you speak Italian.” It’s at that point that I realize what I have achieved and all I could do was grin like a complete idiot while mumbling a quiet thank you.
ELlobosolo
A girl I was sleeping with told me that I was “responsive” in bed. Like I knew when to keep doing things she liked and stop doing things she didn’t without having to be told. I was stoked. I don’t know why it struck me so much but it was super nice.
sussinmysussness
In high school there was a girl everyone made fun of. She had some really unfortunate acne. One day I witnessed the mean girls taking her down a peg. I decided as a well liked guy to use my power for good, and made an effort to chat publicly with her everyday at lunch.
Flash to 10 years later, after my mothers death, and I was cleaning out her bedroom. I found a card in my mother’s drawer sent to her by this girl. It was a thank you card and inside it said “Your son is the one drop of brightness in an otherwise dreary world. Thank you for teaching him to color outside the lines.” Something about that compliment, and the idea that my mother had held onto it for so long, I found touching.
Bimblebuttons
A few days ago I was swinging my autistic son, who’s barely verbal, and he started repeatedly yelling out that it was, “The best day ever!”
prosinader
A girl at the supermarket checkout, scanning my items through, kept glancing up at me for the two or so minutes I was standing in front of her. I pay for my things, go to collect them and hear her, very timidly, tell me I have “beautiful eyes”. Too bad my mother was standing beside me, otherwise I’d have swept that girl off her feet.
primum_mobile
This is past its prime now but back in college a couple female friends told my roommate and I, “We love coming over here. It’s like hanging out in an episode of Seinfeld.”
Oax_Mike
Very bright and attractive. A social worker used these words to describe me in the notes that she wrote during our first meeting. I was 16 and in need of foster care: My grandmother, who had been my primary caregiver, had died five years earlier, and since then I had struggled to find a permanent home. At that time, I was painfully insecure. But this assessment, which was on an official document, changed all that. The words were seeds of hope in my teenage years. They helped me become a successful, confident adult.
Xgreatfactor1122
James Brown, godfather of soul, stuck his head outta a car window and told me, “You’ve got a beautiful lady friend there son.” By far the best compliment I will ever receive.
kochikame
A little girl pointed to me and asked her Mum if I was a real fairy. When her Mum said I wasn’t she said “But, she’s so pretty!”
DevilZee
This was like 6 years ago. I was a senior in high school working as a cashier at IKEA. The line was incredibly long like it always is, and I was just keeping my head down and getting my work done as pleasantly as I could.
Then some guy just asked me, “So is this what you do all day? You have to stand here and handle the line for your entire shift?” I pretty much said, “Yep that’s all I do.”, And he says “Wow, that is rough. I appreciate you.” Then he smiled, nodded, and left with his stuff.
I don’t know why, but that “I appreciate you” line changed my whole day and stuck with me ever since.
troywww
My old manager was not a native English speaker. He was trying to illustrate that I’m self-motivated, self-sufficient, an low-maintenance in general. What actually came out of his mouth was “You’re a lone wolf in black sheep’s clothing”
Docjaded
I went back to school in my mid 20’s feeling super low about myself and out of place. I had this history prof who seemed crotchety and his papers were tough. One of mine came back to me with “This was a pleasure to read and is completely deserving of an A.”
Might seem small but considering I was convinced I was dumb and out of my league, I really needed to hear something like that. Dude probably has no idea how much that short comment on a paper meant to me.
Gogogadgetskates
I’ll never forget my 4th grade science teacher. I was catching hell from one of my other teachers for how bad my hand writing was. I don’t know why we were discussing it, but I’ll never forget Mrs. Miles put her hand on my shoulder and curtly told Mrs. Dyle that I wouldn’t need good handwriting, because I’d have my own secretary.
I still remember how much it meant to be to have a teacher believe in me so much.
RedditWhileWorking23
Some of this material has been edited for clarity.