What was the best compliment you’ve received?
Compliments. Oh how I hate them. I kind of actually really do hate them. I’m working on this in therapy. Compliments make me embarrassed and uncomfortable. Especially if they are given to me in person. However, that’s not to say I don’t appreciate knowing that people are pleased with me in some way.
One of the most recent ones that I received came last year when the staff at my former school found out that not only was I leaving the position of principal, but that I wasn’t even going to stay on as a teacher. One of the teachers, who had been there for several years before I started there 19 years ago, she told me that she wished I would stay as a teacher…and I really don’t remember her exact words and really how she said it, but the gist of it was that she wanted me to stay because she thought I had a very special way of working with the middle school students. Something about the positive impact and the way I am able to connect with them. I appreciated that comment because I really did treasure my time teaching the middle school kids. At my school, I taught English to kids in grades 6-8. I really did always find a way to build a rapport with them. Her compliment made me pause long enough to briefly consider staying on as a teacher. But the pause was incredibly brief and I distinctly remember that my heart hurt a little bit at her words because I knew that there was nothing that was going to make me change my mind about leaving.
That compliment validated so many years that I had dedicated my life to teaching those kids. Other compliments have come from my husband and a few of the friends in my online knitting group. Those compliments are simply, “I’m proud of you.” Their pride was expressed from the fact that I finally stood up for myself and was brave enough to leave my job. Man! So many compliments lately regarding the job I had! First for how good I was at it and then how brave I was for leaving it.
Hopefully soon I’ll have a new favorite/best compliment related to something else. Maybe when I finish the book I’m writing and someone reads it and likes it. Or maybe someone will compliment the bad ass tattoo I’m going to be getting. Apparently it’ll be a few months before it’s fully complete. And maybe when those new compliments come, if they do, I’ll be better prepared to receive them. I didn’t get compliments very often growing up which is something I’m unpacking in therapy. But, I’m getting there. Actually, that right there is a nice compliment for myself. The fact that I’m doing a good job in therapy is good enough for me for now.
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