My daughter cringes with embarrassment whenever I tell a stranger I love their outfit. And it’s certainly good to be aware of the etiquette around paying compliments, particularly in the workplace.

I tend not to think about it before I speak, and while it’s clear that some people are uncomfortable receiving compliments, I’ve never experienced a situation where I’ve regretted paying someone a compliment.

Consider more than just appearance

Meditation teacher Chloe Webster tells Stylist that the best compliment she ever received was someone saying “you have a really lovely presence”.

“It came from a passing stranger and it’s a compliment I now give if it applies to someone,” says Webster. She likes it because “it doesn’t involve physical appearance, skill or talent. It’s complimenting someone on them just being themselves.”

Powerful stuff. Compliments also have the ability to transform how we see ourselves, as they can give us a different perspective.

Writer and business owner Ellie Kime says: “The best compliment I ever received was when I was describing myself as erratic. I was gently but firmly told that I wasn’t erratic but ‘energetic and full of life’, and though it sounds pretty banal, it was so affirming because it totally changed my perception of who I am and how I do things. What I’d previously viewed as a negative was actually being interpreted as a quality.”

Why do compliments make us so happy?