The Student Room Group

don't know how to react when people give me a compliment??

ok this sounds really really stupid but it has bugged me for a while.
i think i appear too cold and distant to others... in school i often perform and have the reputation of being the person who is "really good at playing guitar". however, everytime someone comes up to me and says something good about my playing, i don't know how to respond. in the previous times, i either just said "thanks" and turned away cos i didnt want to make eye contact with the person giving me the compliment (creating an awkward silence), or i would try to say something back, which never works out naturally... (i always sound too fake when i respond to compliments...for example i would say "oh no...i was actually really scared" even if i wasn't, just attempting to say something back to the person praising me)

help!!! how am i supposed to react in this kind of situation, without sounding too artificial and insincere?

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Reply 1
errm just say thank you.
Reply 2
I just say 'thanks' (not that i get many compliments)
Reply 3
Just smile and say thanks, it's not that hard.
Reply 4
hmm but smiling and saying "thanks" is exactly what i do!! except the people look like they are expecting me to say something more than that!! if i don't do more than that, awkward silence occurs... i mean, i cannot just say "thanks" and become silent if that person is still standing there looking at me. on the other hand, if i try to say something, it sounds all wrong and superficial because deep down inside i really have nothing to say except "thanks", even though i appreciate that they had enjoyed my performance.... i am not good at talking at a superficial level... =(
It is easier to accept critisim than a praise, same as its easier to list your faults than your good points. Take the praise gracefully and say thanks, be chuffed and proud of yourself (remember the moment when you feel down on yourself). :biggrin:
Reply 6
what about "cheers. do you play at all?"

or something to kkep convo moving along.
Reply 7
i really don't want to seem like i am arrogant.....
i have heard people who have once complimented me talk behind my back saying that when they praised me I just treated them like "nobody", which really isn't what i am like inside.
Cindy
It is easier to accept critisim than a praise, same as its easier to list your faults than your good points. Take the praise gracefully and say thanks, be chuffed and proud of yourself (remember the moment when you feel down on yourself). :biggrin:


That is so true!
Compliment from a female - 'I can manipulate a G-string even better with my teeth'

Compliment from a male - 'Thanks/cheers man/dude/guv/bud'
Reply 10
Thud
what about "cheers. do you play at all?"

or something to kkep convo moving along.


yes! this is the kind of thing i am looking for!
does anyone else have this kind of phrases i could use to seem un-arrogant??:redface:
Reply 11
Anonymous
Compliment from a female - 'I can manipulate a G-string even better with my teeth'


ew.
Reply 12
Anonymous
ok this sounds really really stupid but it has bugged me for a while.
i think i appear too cold and distant to others... in school i often perform and have the reputation of being the person who is "really good at playing guitar". however, everytime someone comes up to me and says something good about my playing, i don't know how to respond. in the previous times, i either just said "thanks" and turned away cos i didnt want to make eye contact with the person giving me the compliment (creating an awkward silence), or i would try to say something back, which never works out naturally... (i always sound too fake when i respond to compliments...for example i would say "oh no...i was actually really scared" even if i wasn't, just attempting to say something back to the person praising me)

help!!! how am i supposed to react in this kind of situation, without sounding too artificial and insincere?


Yeah i have the exact problem. I find it difficult to respond to compliments and end up saying something really stupid. Someone complimented my eyes today...and all i did was say 'thank you.' The thing was...they just kept staring..so i started getting worried...you know, thinking that they wanted a better response...so i just walked away..and left them standing. :redface: Next minute i hear them saying rather bad stuff behind my back.
squirly
ew.


I was talking about playing the musical instrument with his teeth.
You're lucky we're not living in the 1800's you would have been lynched for having a dirty mind like that.

Girls nowadays eh :rolleyes:
whenever any girl says anythink nice to me i make more of an idiot of myself that i usually do.

Im gonna be screwed when i go uni lol
and i cant spell ffs.
I have the same problem... with me it's usually my hair. I generally end up saying "Thanks... it's a pain to brush though" or something equally crap. Or I just automatically deny it which makes me look like I'm fishing for compliments... when I'm really not. :frown:
Reply 17
I've found that i enjoy replying to insults more than i do compliments.
Reply 18
Just Smile and say Thank You and then change the Subject, thats what i do whenever someone gives me a compliment :smile:
Reply 19
Also a hint of sarcasm helps as well.

Generally i dont like being complimented because it shows that that particular person pays attention to that area of you, so you need to 'keep up the standards'