Compliment

One day, I walked out of physiotherapy and bumped into an acquaintance. The conversation was brief — a quick hello and they said they liked my gym clothes. That was over ten years ago. I still remember it. That's the impact of a compliment.

A conversation starter

One way to start a conversation is by giving a compliment. Look at what are they holding, doing or wearing for inspiration. A complement gets someone to lower their guard (not see you as a threat) and boosts their confidence, which makes them feel good. A goal of good conversation because people remember how you make them feel more than what you say.

Warning

A compliment doesn't work if it's b#llsh!t. Don't tell someone you like their outfit if you don't. People can tell when you're lying and they'll think:

• you're trying to manipulate them,
• you can't be trusted and
• instead of feeling good, they feel cautious.

Be specific

The compliment I got was good, but it would of been better with specifics. Something like...

"I like your outfit, the color of your shorts and shirt go well together."

It makes the compliment more authentic (not generic, like reading from a script). Being specific also provides opportunity to leave breadcrumbs. Hints to topics you want to talk about. For example, if I wanted to talk about working out, I could say...

"The color of your shirt and shorts go well together. My gym clothes make me look homeless."

Communicating that I also exercise. Alternatively, you can lead the conversation by adding an open-ended question...

"I like your outfit, you look like you take fitness seriously. How do you train?"