When Someone Finds You Brilliant…

In a recent creative writing coaching class led by author Jacob Nordby, it was recommended to pay attention to the things that catch your eye because those are clues as to what you want to say to the world. “Notice what you are noticing,” insisted Jacob.

The other day my ‘notice what I’m noticing’ came about through a compliment. During a conversation with another vendor at the Holistic Life Fair in Austin where I was selling my jewelry, she commented on a certain way I do things by saying “You’re brilliant.”

I had an immediate Aha moment because, and probably not coincidentally, I had received a daily inspiration in my email that morning from Alan Cohen. His juicy tidbit for the day:

“When someone finds you brilliant, peaceful, or attractive,

accept their opinion rather than your own.”

                                                           ~ Alan Cohen 

I started laughing when she said that and told her about Alan’s quote, and to her comment about my brilliance, I finished with, “Thank you. I’ll take your word for it!”

But did I really, take her word for it?

Why do I have such a hard time believing compliments? I always say thank you and graciously accept them when they’re given BUT do I BELIEVE them?

Now it’s not that I doubt the sincerity of those doing the complimenting. I fully believe they truly mean what they say. The part with which I have a hard time is believing the compliment to be true about myself.

My mom and my ex, my two biggest cheerleaders, always tell me that I don’t see in me what other people see.

Where others see beauty in me, I see not enough.

Where others see brilliance in me, I see not enough.

Where others see success in me, I see not enough.

Where others see creativity in me, I see not enough.

Oh, how divine the timing of those two quotes! From this point forward, not only will I graciously accept compliments, I will finally start believing them to be the truth. And maybe, just maybe, one of these days I will see myself as I am and not the way my tainted self-image sees me. And maybe someday soon I will love myself the way my dogs do: unconditionally!

How about you? Do you believe the compliments that come your way??

Photo credit: Georg Schroll, photographer