Someone says your meal was delicious, your explanation helped, or your work made their day easier. Before they have finished, you hear yourself replying, “It was nothing,” or listing everything you got wrong. Afterwards, you wish you could have let the kind words stand for a moment.
You do not need to become comfortable with praise all at once. For an ordinary, welcome compliment, a short acknowledgement can be enough. You can appreciate what someone said without making a sweeping claim about your abilities or promising to impress them again.
Let the compliment stay specific
Imagine a friend says, “You made everyone feel welcome tonight.” You might immediately think about the burnt bread or the conversation that felt awkward. Those details can be real without cancelling the friend's experience. They are describing something they appreciated, not issuing a certificate that the evening was perfect.
Try answering the actual comment: “Thank you. I am glad you felt welcome.” You have acknowledged their experience and your pleasure in hearing it. You have not claimed to be the world's best host. Keeping praise attached to a particular moment can make it easier to receive than turning it into a permanent identity you must maintain.
The same approach works at work: “Thanks, I am glad the explanation helped.” It leaves room for the fact that other parts of the project still need attention. You can improve something tomorrow without retracting today's useful contribution.
Notice the rebuttal before saying it
If your first impulse is “They are only being polite,” pause before treating that interpretation as a fact. The NHS guidance on reframing unhelpful thoughts suggests examining the evidence for a thought and considering other explanations. It also notes that you do not have to succeed in changing every thought.
Here, a balanced alternative might be: “I cannot know everything behind their words, but they chose to tell me something they appreciated.” You do not have to persuade yourself that every compliment is completely sincere. You are allowing a plausible interpretation to sit beside the doubtful one.
This is an optional everyday reflection, not a diagnosis. Feeling awkward about praise does not, by itself, establish a mental-health condition. If analysing your reaction makes the moment more uncomfortable, skip the analysis and use a simple response you can say naturally.
Prepare one sentence that sounds like you
Choose language you would actually use: “Thank you, that is lovely to hear,” “I appreciate you saying that,” or simply “Thanks.” There is no requirement to explain why receiving praise is difficult. A brief reply does not need to be followed by a joke at your own expense.
You also do not owe an immediate compliment in return. If you genuinely want to say something kind about the other person, you can. But searching frantically for matching praise may pull you away from what they just said. Acknowledgement can be a complete exchange.
If you already brushed the compliment aside, you can return to it lightly: “Actually, thank you for saying that earlier. I was pleased you enjoyed it.” You need not turn the repair into another apology or ask them to repeat their praise until you feel certain.
Share credit without erasing your part
Sometimes a compliment leaves out other people's work. You can correct that accurately while still accepting appreciation: “Thank you. I wrote the outline, and Maya did the illustrations.” This gives the listener useful information about the collaboration.
Compare that with “I did absolutely nothing; it was all Maya.” If you did write the outline, that response understates your contribution. Fair credit includes both people. You can be modest and precise at the same time.
If the compliment is based on a factual mistake, clarify it plainly. “That was actually Sam's idea; I helped organise it.” You do not have to accept credit that is not yours in order to practise receiving kindness.
Keep your boundaries around unwanted comments
These suggestions concern praise you welcome. You do not have to accept comments about your body, private life, or anything else that feels intrusive. Nor does a compliment create an obligation to agree to a favour, spend time with someone, or offer personal information.
A boundary can be short: “I would rather we did not comment on my appearance,” or “Thank you, but I cannot help with that request.” Respond to the situation you are in, rather than forcing yourself to perform gratitude. You can decide separately whether the comment was welcome and whether the request works for you.
Let the moment end without another assignment
You do not need to collect every compliment, track your progress, or turn a pleasant exchange into homework. If remembering the words is useful, make a brief note. If not, continue with your day. The aim is to leave room for kindness, not to earn a perfect response to it.
For help practising a sentence, TherapyWithAI can support reflection using a fictional, non-identifying example. AI cannot assess your mental health or replace professional care. If persistent self-criticism is affecting daily life, consider speaking with a qualified professional. If you want a friend to hear how this feels before offering solutions, our guide to asking for listening before advice offers words you can borrow.