‘You’re so sexy,’ an ex used to tell me. I loved hearing those words – but I never really believed him. Deep down, I thought he was ‘just being nice,’ and had probably said similar things to previous girlfriends or other women. I wasn’t special.
I have a theory about why I can’t take compliments. It’s a big thing to admit to, but sometimes when I tell someone I like the food they’ve cooked, or the colour of their living room walls, I don’t mean it. I might be saying something nice because they’ve made the effort to make a meal, or they’ve just had their house redecorated, and as a classic people pleaser, I want to make them feel good. In turn, if someone praises me, I don’t always trust that they are being entirely truthful. So how, then, can people like me give compliments more authentically, only saying what we really
