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Friday, March 29, 2024

Compliments: Hard to give, harder to receive

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Praises such as “You look great today!” are usually shot down with a shy “No.”

Compliments: Hard to give, harder to receive
Gabbi Garcia and Paulo Avelino encourage more people to give and openly receive compliments.

Many people think twice before giving someone a compliment, while other cringe when they receive any kind of praise directed towards them. And don’t get us started on Filipinos.

Pinoys are generally shy, a trait that influences how we behave and interact with others. In fact, this concept is so ingrained in us that Australia’s Cultural Atlas said, “Filipinos may be more motivated to succeed by a fear of shame rather than fear of failing the task at hand.”

Many Filipinos tend to feel shy and conscious when given a compliment, often arguing that it is not true for fear of seeming overconfident. 

Psychologists say receptivity to compliments is a reflection of our self-esteem and deep feeling of self-worth. “In other words, receiving praise from others when we feel negatively about ourselves elicits discomfort because it conflicts with our existing belief system,” said Guy Winch, Ph.D.

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But again, culture plays a big role, he said.

In a social experiment led by Mentos Philippines, actors Paulo Avelino and Gabbi Garcia were tasked to compliment mall-goers through a small digital screen posing as static ads. They would try to get the attention of passersby at the mall and interact with them by paying them compliments. The social experiment culminated with Paulo and Gabbi revealing that they were actually at the mall. 

Through the social experiment, Paulo said, “I learned that people were shy and embarrassed at first, but they were thrilled to receive compliments and nice comments. They sort of lost their shyness.”

Meanwhile, Gabbi learned that compliments provided a sort of connection with the people she met.

“What I saw was how they were not just flattered but touched by the compliments,” she shared.

The experiment revealed how Filipinos remain self-critical or too modest to accept, let alone believe, compliments. 

Vision Board Coach Trixie Baretto Esguerra, also known as “Positivitrix,” said that speaking the truth, appreciating the outside appearance, and giving people a nice and genuine smile are the basic steps of giving someone a compliment.

Positivitrix also said people must always practice giving compliments with each other for three reasons: it makes the world a better place; it is engaging; and it is not for sale.

To encourage more Filipinos to give and receive compliments, Mentos brings to the country its limited-edition CompliMENTOS. 

The roll features a new packaging with 16 different compliments such as “You fill me with excite-mint,” “You are super cool,” and “You make my world roll.”

Compliments: Hard to give, harder to receive
MAKE SOMEONE'S DAY WITH COMPLIMENTOS. Bestselling candy brand Mentos makes giving and receiving compliments easier with its limited edition CompliMENTOS whose packaging comes with a compliment.

Mentos CompliMENTOS is now available at Shopee and in all supermarkets nationwide.

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