Why aren't compliments a thing?

I don't know very many people who...actually I don't know anyone who doesn't like to receive a complement. Do you know someone who just overflows with compliments wherever they go? I love those people :) they always inspire me to give compliments (which is something I struggle with...) I always think the compliments but I never say them-I think that happens a lot. But why?

What makes us 'shy' to tell someone they look nice? Why do we hesitate to tell someone we liked their paper or hair or singing or dancing? 

I know that not everyone struggles with this and if you don't then you deserve a prize because sincerely complimenting people, is really a gift! And I have a lot of awesome friends who are really good at it.

Another important thing! Please, please, please:

It ruins the compliment and makes the person not want to give compliments. They said somthing nice about you-if you don't know what to say then just give a compliment back!

There are lots of problems in the world. No one is perfect and we all have a lot of different opinions and ideas-it makes it really hard to connect to each other! But when you give/receive a complement from someone, don't you feel connected to them? So what if we all tried this and told the people around us that they looked nice, or that they do a good job? Isn't that one way we can relate? AND when we compliment others aren't we praising God in His creations? So what's the downside to this? I think it sounds great! Let's make compliments a thing-if you don't give compliments often look for opportunities to compliment people and if you already do that then look for ways to make them super sincere

Remember how good it makes you feel, how awesome to have the power to make someone smile, to make their day, to compliment them and to connect to them even for just a second. :)

-Color Girl

What's around you?

Close your eyes and listen. 

What did you hear? Cars, children, music? A page of a book turning? Your own breathing? Someone cooking in the kitchen or playing with blocks? Are you thankful to hear?

Open your eyes, look around you.

What did you see? A bookshelf, shoes, a computer screen? A window? Did you look out a window, and see trees and cars and pets and growing plants? Are you thankful to see?

Feel the things around you, what do you feel? Take a deep breath, do you smell anything? There is so much going on around you, what are you missing? 

Lately I have noticed that everyone is looking down...usually at their phones. :) We might be walking around, in the store, at the park, in cars or at play performances and yet what are we doing? Talking or texting or playing on our phones. For example, as I write this blog post I am sitting in a room with two other people who are, like myself, on their phones. (I would gladly talk to them if I wasn't finishing an assignment that needs to be finished.)

So my question is, what are we missing? What conversations or learning experiences are we not having? There is so much that we aren't appreciating because we are not recognizing it.

So how do we change it?

I think something really important is being aware of what's going on around you which means we have to put down the phone. The phone will always be there and wouldn't it be cooler to talk to the people around you or at least smile to them? 

In my previous post I talked about connecting by compliments but I think this is another way to connect to the people around you.

And last of all be thankful! There is so much we have been blessed with so get out in nature, look up from the phone and look out to the world. This is for us to enjoy!

-Color Girl

P.S. Here is a link to an awesome video about this!! https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7dLU6fk9QY

The gift

Imagine you are in a group of people and you are each given a gift. Each gift is the same type but is incredibly personal and special. You all are told that in order to keep the gifts, one person in the room must give theirs up.

What would you do?

In life, few of us realize that every breath is a gift, that every time we pull into the drive way its a gift; or that each family member or friend is a gift. There is so much around us to be thankful for, so much to enjoy, why waste life on worrying? Why waste it doing something you hate to do? Why be full of discontentment or sorrow? Live life to the fullest!

In Heaven we all received a gift, the gift of life, each life was personalized to fit each person. But in order for us all to keep the gifts and one day return to Heavenly Father someone had to save us, someone had to completely give up their life-their gift- so that we could have ours.

So who did?

Christ did. He volunteered because he loved us. He didn't want any of the glory, He gave up his gift so that we could all live and live again. What a miracle.

But some threw away their gifts. Satan and his followers threw them away in pride and foolishness. And even though we all chose to come to earth we still must make the choice to 'live' everyday. In order to live we must repent, try harder, listen and obey. Just because we are on earth doesn't mean we are done. And though our job is not easy, do you think His job was easy?

He was born in a stable
He learned to work hard
He fasted for 40 days
He was hated
He was ignored
He saw much pain
He paid the price for everyone's sins
He felt the pain, sorrow, sickness, quilt, and so much more for the entire world
He has nails pierced into  Him
He was cut
He was spit upon
He wore a crown of thorns
He was mocked
He was put on a cross
He forgave them
He forgave everyone
He died for everyone

And that's not all. So tell me now, how hard is it to go to church? How hard is it to pay tithing? How hard is it to simply do what you know is right? Keep the commandments and covenants and standards? How hard is to to say kind things? How hard is it to live?

Is it not wonderful to know that He conquered death? That He lives now? That He is the one we can trust in, the truth and the light the one we must believe in? The Savior, the Redeemer?  And all because He loves us.

Because He gave up His gift we can have ours. Because He died we can live again.
-Color Girl