Our words are powerful.

When we compliment others in specific and meaningful ways, our words can have tremendous impact.

To demonstrate this truth, I asked my friends and followers on Facebook and Twitter to share meaningful compliments they’ve received.

Here are the responses I received:

From @ApopkaDeb: “Thank you for sharing yourself and a part of your story with us.”

From @JaneAnderson: “You’re like an inspirational greeting card” and “You’re our go-to person.”

From David: “They can’t fire you, you are the only one who tells us the truth.”

From @JenniferVMiller: “I’m so glad you’re in this world, Jennifer.”

From @StratLearner: “You are a learning machine!”

From @fab_angie “I can depend on you.”

From @johnsonwhitney: “You are smart!” (She is!)

From Jennifer: Your kids are well-behaved.

From @MegEWallace: “Meg worked magical feats of wonder… spinning straw into something approaching gold.”

From @GianaConsulting: “You’re such an Einstein, brilliant one minute and a ditz the next.”

From @ConnellLessons: “During a coaching session, an executive told me I had found my calling.”

From @brendakenasonwe: “God gave you the most compassionate heart and soul.”

From @BKneuer: “You are a good listener; thank you for being there.”

From @shermanspeaks: “You are a great dad.”

Why did these compliments resonate? Likely they connected in some deep way to the recipients values and beliefs about themselves.

Here’s a compliment that resonated with me today, from my friend @17jamie. He wrote to me, “You are a woman after my heart.” And yesterday, from @djgreer, a compliment for both me and my friend @thehrgoddess, “Like you, Jane, Becky is always worth listening to.”

“Kind words are like honey, sweet to the soul and healthy for the body” ~Proverbs 16:24.

If you have the breath to speak, why not say something meaningful, today, something that will resonate deeply with the people around you? Your heartfelt compliments will be sweet to others.

This blog post is inspired by Dr. Kathy Cramer’s book, Lead Positive, launching this week. If you have not already, buy a copy today! 

I also wrote three other posts inspired by Kathy’s book, graciously hosted around the web: How Will You Show Up Today?, The Worst Things Become the Best Things, and Use the A-S-A Framework to Lead Positive. I dare you to click through and read all three.

Tell me something! What is a meaningful compliment you’ve received?