23-Sep-2012

Kindness is Golden

Compliment vs. Complaint

Children forget to clean their rooms; bad drivers cut you off the road; co-workers can be insensitive. You might find yourself upset by these situations and taking out your bad mood on others by complaining or criticizing. But there is a power in the opposite approach. Yogi Bhajan said, “It takes the same energy to complain as it does to compliment. When there is a short circuit there is a complaint and when the energy is flowing there is a compliment.” 

Turning complaints into compliments is a kind of yogic alchemy that will lift all those around you. Try a little experiment—give out random compliments to people you see. Tell a neighbor how much you enjoy her garden. Give your child a hug and let him know how special he is to you. Tell your spouse how much you love the way they support you. It really doesn’t take any more energy to compliment and, without a doubt, you’ll feel happier, lighter and more elevated. Inspiring others through your words doesn’t cost a penny…but the effects are nothing but pure gold.

Recommended: Love - What Life Is All About by Leo F. Buscaglia and The Compliment Quotient – Boost Your Spirits, Spark Your Relationships and Uplift the World by Monica Strobel