Healthy Style: I Rock. Thank You.

As with many of my #healthyme posts, I originally posted this on my WW Online blog. And no, I don't think I'm e.e. cummings. I just wrote it very quickly and didn't feel like editing it.

a ww online friend wrote a very important post. i'm going to blatantly copy it (and i told her so), because i think the topic is that important. it also piggybacks off of my post yesterday, in which i try to talk myself into accepting help and not carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders by myself.

Richard Avedon's 1955 "Dovima with Elephants," which fetched a remarkable $1.1M+ at auction in 2010 (Dior, whose design Dovima wears, won the legendary bidding war). Image via

i got a compliment this morning. a lady waiting to cross the street next to me said "that's a really cute bag you have." "thank you." i wanted to ask her which one she meant, as i had two cute bags (duh). but i didn't.

i got a compliment yesterday morning. a lady leaned out of her truck window as she pulled out of her starbucks parking spot, and said "i really like your outfit. it's great." once i realized she was talking to me, "thank you."

just before that, i'd noticed two women in the starbucks. one had the most beautiful, striking contrast between her long, silver hair and her dark eyes and eyebrows. i should have complimented her. i didn't. i don't know why.

the other woman had an elegant, almost old fashioned updo that rolled her dark tresses into a soft shape around the base of her head. she had a reddish streak on the side of her head that just made it sing. i told her i liked her hair, that it was so elegant, and it looked really nice. she, slightly surprised, said, "thank you."

i'm a huge believer in random compliments. they make our days, don't they? even the catcall makes our day in a way we don't really want to accept. so if i notice something special about a stranger, i try to approach them and tell them. it makes my day to see how delighted they are.

so why, oh, why do we not compliment ourselves? why, oh why, when we can give compliments so freely, can we not accept them gracefully? i suppose it's some ingrained western psychological downfall. or it's just something we need to learn. it is, i think, a massive step in maintaining a level of self confidence that exudes strength, grace, and humility, three qualities i happen to think critical to succeed in this world.

therefore, and in solidarity with my online friend, and in the hopes that this catches on like wildfire, quite frankly, i challenge you today. i challenge you, as she did in her post, to leave a compliment in the comments. for yourself and without caveats or deflection. own it. then thank yourself for it. like she did, i'll start (with the one i left in her comments):

i watched myself during my workout today, and i loved what i saw in the mirror: strong shoulders, a defined clavicle, arms that show off the muscles that make them, legs that support me in their slender and muscular glory. thank you.

now. once you've done that, find a random person, a stranger, preferably, that strikes you in some way, and pass it on. see if they are able to gracefully accept it. like you're going to learn to do.