Do You Believe People When They Compliment You?

I made the choice recently to believe people when they give me compliments.

Strange, right? Why wouldn't you accept a compliment?

"You look great!" or "That was so much fun!"

I used to shrug them off, convinced people were just being polite—saying what they were expected to say, whether they meant it or not.

But recently, something shifted. On a call with a friend, she channeled a message that I couldn't ignore. She said, "pay attention to the reasons that people come to you. You need to understand why they seek you out. That will guide your path forward."

It sounded simple, but it wasn't.

I was often caught up in my own story, my own fears, doubts, or patterns that I couldn't always hear what someone else was saying to me. Not really, anyway.

If I was serving or supporting someone, I could listen all day long (well, maybe not all day, but I digress). But when it came to really hearing the parts that were mirrors reflecting back elements of who I am to myself, I put up a shield.

I didn't believe the feedback.

So, when someone was coming to me simply because they loved my energy, I assumed there was another, secret reason. Or, the internal dialogue kicked in that I needed to prove myself to this perfect stranger.

I grew up in a household where I was praised a lot. This was a beautiful thing. My mom would often tell me how great or talented I was, or how well I did things. Even today, she tells me what a great writer I am (love you, Mom!). But somehow, rather than just accepting that as truth, my mind told me that was just something that mothers were meant to say, regardless of whether it was true or not.

The story I was telling myself was that compliments weren't real. They were polite things people said because they were supposed to be "nice".

Whoa. That's a lot to take in.

So, after my friend shared that I should pay closer attention to why people were coming to me, I decided to slow it down and listen.

And as I've listened more closely, I've started to hear a deeper truth beneath the words I receive. Rather than brushing off the feedback as something polite society does, I am allowing myself to fully receive what I'm being told. And boy has the feedback been affirming.

When I stop filling in the blanks, here's what's being reflected back to me:

"I feel so uplifted in your energy."

"You don't know how good you are at what you do."

"That call is one I'll never forget."

"I haven't stopped thinking about it [our call]."

Since I decided to pay attention, the positive feedback and affirmations keep coming. It's like the whole world was waiting for me to actually listen. And it's no coincidence, either, that the moment I decided to actually hear what was being said, everyone I meet makes sure to give me a heartfelt reflection of how I made them feel.

So now, I am listening. Listening to the nudges, to the words that come my way, and instead of brushing it off I am receiving it with an open heart.

What would happen if you decided to fully receive? What might you learn about yourself or the world around you?

I invite you to try it out for yourself and see what happens. And if the world gives you sprinkles of love, as I've been experiencing, take a moment to write down the words you hear so you can remind yourself of them at later stages when you might otherwise forget.

Sending you lots of love today,

Amanda

P.S. I decided to run an experiment with my LinkedIn Community (now 6,900 strong!) and offer a few FREE one-card oracle readings. As my loyal readers, I'd like to open up that offer to you as well. 5 slots are already taken, there are 5 left to offer. If you'd like a short reading in the next week, hit reply and I'll send you the scheduling link. If demand far outweighs supply, I'll consider opening a few more.