Compliments. They’re supposed to be nice, right? But for the socially anxious, they can feel like spotlights, instantly triggering a volcanic eruption of blush. My face, a sensitive barometer of social discomfort, would betray me at the slightest hint of praise. “Nice shirt!” – face turns crimson. “Good job!” – cheeks ignite. Compliments, meant to build confidence, were instead fueling my self-consciousness.
Then, I tried the “Thank and Redirect” technique. Simple, polite, and crucially, deflective. Instead of freezing and blushing, I practiced a quick, automatic response. “Thank you! It was a gift,” or “Thanks, I appreciate that. How about you, how’s your day going?” The key was to acknowledge the compliment gracefully, but immediately shift the focus away from myself.
It wasn’t about rejecting the compliment, but about controlling my reaction. The “Thank and Redirect” technique became my social autopilot. It gave me a script, a way to navigate the awkwardness of praise without turning into a human tomato. The blushing didn’t vanish overnight, but it lessened. The spotlight dimmed. Compliments started to feel less like interrogations and more like…well, compliments. It’s about learning to receive praise without self-combusting. And sometimes, a little redirection is all you need.