Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Unexpected compliments you have had.

119 replies

bubbleblower85 · 07/03/2022 21:15

Hi all

What were your nice/kind words or compliments you have had that surprised you either from strangers or those you know?

Some I can remember right now....
In another life, my then line manager smiled at me and said I didn't need make up implying I was pretty bare faced.

One colleague told me that I had a lovely smile, also got told this by a laughter yoga lady the first time I met her.
Same colleague said I had a lovely way of putting people at ease.

A mindfulness massage therapist after massing me (without any conversation between us)
randomly said to me that she feels I have a lot to the world and I should believe myself more!

All these caught me by surprise and warmed my cold cold heart 😂

OP posts:
Original poster
bubbleblower85 · 07/03/2022 21:16

*lot to offer.....

OP posts:
1000yellowdaisies · 07/03/2022 21:25

When my second baby was about 2 weeks old i went to john lewis and into the cafe with him in a sling on my chest. I was going back to the table carrying a tray of food in one hand, changing bag over the other arm and also holding my 2yos hand, with the baby snug in the sling . I felt like a chaotic bag lady but a lady my age ish (mid 30s) walked past and said 'looking good mama'.
It made me feel so good and empowered i can't rely explain why it gave me a boost but it just did.
What a fabulous lady.

Original poster
bubbleblower85 · 07/03/2022 21:31

That's lovely, always nice when strangers compliment us.

OP posts:
HoliHormonalTigerlilly · 07/03/2022 21:34

@1000yellowdaisies

When my second baby was about 2 weeks old i went to john lewis and into the cafe with him in a sling on my chest. I was going back to the table carrying a tray of food in one hand, changing bag over the other arm and also holding my 2yos hand, with the baby snug in the sling . I felt like a chaotic bag lady but a lady my age ish (mid 30s) walked past and said 'looking good mama'. It made me feel so good and empowered i can't rely explain why it gave me a boost but it just did. What a fabulous lady.
Love it.
livyaz · 07/03/2022 21:37

@1000yellowdaisies

When my second baby was about 2 weeks old i went to john lewis and into the cafe with him in a sling on my chest. I was going back to the table carrying a tray of food in one hand, changing bag over the other arm and also holding my 2yos hand, with the baby snug in the sling . I felt like a chaotic bag lady but a lady my age ish (mid 30s) walked past and said 'looking good mama'. It made me feel so good and empowered i can't rely explain why it gave me a boost but it just did. What a fabulous lady.
Totally made me smile!!!
GalactatingGoddess · 07/03/2022 21:43

I had a lot of hair cut off lately (curly hair, needed a chop to refresh the curls from all the dye) and also had a fringe, I've been a bit self conscious that it doesn't suit me but I've had at least 5 separate people randomly tell me how good it looks. Made me feel good.

Love the compliment @1000yellowdaisies she sounds ace

HoliHormonalTigerlilly · 08/03/2022 08:22

DS's girlfriend (age 9) was round at ours for tea the other day & came in from bouncing in the garden on the trampoline to announce to me:

"you're as pretty as a flower!"

Then she went back out to continue bouncing 🤣🌼

Sportsnight · 08/03/2022 08:27

When I was about 8 an elderly woman stopped me on the way to school and said “you have wonderful eyebrows”.

spiderlight · 08/03/2022 09:01

I was in a taxi and DS, who would have been about 2 or 3 at the time, was nattering away with the driver for the entire journey. When we stopped, the driver said 'His vocabulary is amazing for his age. You obviously read to him a lot.' I did, and it was nice to have it noticed Grin

TheFlis12345 · 08/03/2022 09:26

The first time I met my DH’s best friend, his wife said she loved my laugh as it was ‘properly joyful’. Such a random but lovely thing to say on an occasion where I was a little nervous.

TyrannysaurusXXrightshoarder · 08/03/2022 09:30

‘For a dark haired girl you don’t have much of a moustache’
Definitely meant as a compliment and definitely unexpected 😯 (though maybe not in the way you meant OP😂)

RubyFox · 08/03/2022 13:40

Several opticians have told me my eyes are beautiful on the inside Grin

Stormwhale · 08/03/2022 13:46

My dd was misbehaving on a day out and I knelt down on the floor to speak to her. I told her that she wasn't being her usual self and I didn't think her behaviour showed what a good girl she really is. I said that we should start over and give it another go so we could have a lovely day together.

A lady working at the attraction came over and told me I was a great mum and that it was so lovely to hear a mum speaking kindly to their child. She said that she sees parents screaming and shouting at their kids daily or completely ignoring their bad behaviour and it made her day to see us.

It meant the world to me as I was in the newborn phase with ds, exhausted, constantly doubting whether I was fit to be a mum to two dc and totally overwhelmed in general. She probably didn't have a clue how much that compliment meant to me, it was just so lovely.

tobypercy · 08/03/2022 13:46

At the youth group I used to organise, a parent helper said "you're so organised!"
I always felt disorganised but that made me realise that actually I was running at 99% efficiency and blaming myself for the 1% that was missing. It was a lightbulb moment for me.

peonyandpeaches · 08/03/2022 13:51

I was once told I look just like Sophia Loren, I had to Google her as at the time had no idea who she even was!

mbosnz · 08/03/2022 13:54

I remember a supermarket checkout worker saying how impressed she was that I had my newborn and my less than two year old, and we were up and dressed and out shopping so early - it must have been 10.30am'ish. It made my day, and was the beginning of the end of PND for me. It made me think that maybe I can, instead of 'I definitely can't'.

LindyLou2020 · 08/03/2022 14:30

Am I spoiling this thread by mentioning a backhanded compliment?
A friend once introduced me to a friend of hers at a social event. My friend later told me that her friend had commented that I looked great ..................for my age 😑

Another2022 · 08/03/2022 14:50

Just me and the kids having a pub lunch on hols and the lady bringing over the food put the plates down and told me what a wonderful family we were :)

Original poster
bubbleblower85 · 08/03/2022 16:28

@mbosnz

I remember a supermarket checkout worker saying how impressed she was that I had my newborn and my less than two year old, and we were up and dressed and out shopping so early - it must have been 10.30am'ish. It made my day, and was the beginning of the end of PND for me. It made me think that maybe I can, instead of 'I definitely can't'.
That's amazing that it helped you so much! We should all spread lovely words just so we cab improve someone's world. That's why I started this thread to see the impact of random kindness
OP posts:
Original poster
bubbleblower85 · 08/03/2022 16:29

@peonyandpeaches

I was once told I look just like Sophia Loren, I had to Google her as at the time had no idea who she even was!
Lucky you, she was striking and very alluring.
OP posts:
Original poster
bubbleblower85 · 08/03/2022 16:34

😂

OP posts:
NinjaQueen · 08/03/2022 16:35

I always compliment others, its like a compulsion, they just fall out of my mouth and it's nice to see how happy it makes other people.

I get told I look like Cheryl Cole a lot in a complimentary way, I can't see it myself!

takingmytimeonmyride · 08/03/2022 16:40

I had my hair chopped off a couple of years ago. Was very nervous about it and not sure it suited me. A woman came up to me on the school run (no idea if she'd seen me before with long hair) and told me it really suited me. That was so lovely.

I bumped into an old colleague recently and got invited to another ex colleagues retirement do, as they'd been talking about me and would love to see me. That made me smile as I have very low self esteem and think no one likes me.

Also a bloke I did some volunteering with moved on and when I saw him recently said they could do with someone like me where he is now.

TwoBlondes · 08/03/2022 16:49

Greek passport control man checked mine and said, "you look much better in real life", then to DH "you're a very lucky man!" Blush. I know I shouldn't have been pleased, but I was.

Woman in a restaurant a few months ago said "I hope you don't mind my saying how glamorous you look!" I was wearing jeans and boots and I'm nearly sixty.... no, I didn't mind at all!

Itstheprinciple · 08/03/2022 17:01

The nurse told me I had a lovely cervix after doing my smear. I'm sure she just meant it looked healthy!