Compliments: they’re beautiful to hear, but sometimes hard to receive. For some of us, our automatic response to praise or appreciation from another is to recoil in embarrassment or brush it off.

But words, especially kind ones, hold power and often stick with us. In the quiet moments, compliments we’ve received become mantras we can repeat to ourselves when we’re struggling, silent confidence boosts on our low days. Little reasons to smile on an otherwise bleak day.

So we asked 19 women to recall the nicest thing anyone has ever said to them that they still remember to this day, and how it made them feel. Keep reading to check out what they had to say. 

“Whenever I spend time with you, I leave feeling like I could climb a mountain.”

Annie*

“You’re my secret weapon.”

“So many, but one from earlier this year, “I’m the secret weapon to their journey.”

Milla

“Don’t ever doubt yourself”

“I was touching up my make-up on the tube once and a woman handed me an envelope scrap just before she left, on which she had scribbled: “You are beautiful. Don’t ever doubt yourself” with a smiley face. I’ve still got that scrap to this day and I’ll never forget it.”

Iona

“You make me proud to be disabled.”

“Someone once told me ‘You make me proud to be disabled’. It’s still got me tearing up.”

Victoria

“You are an inspiration.”

“You are an inspiration”

“I really look up to you”

“You light up the room”

Alice

“You are worthy of love”

“You are worthy of love”. When you’re struggling with depression, this can save a life.”

Sravya

“You move in your own way”

“That the song “She Moves In Her Own Way” reminded a mate of me. Made me so happy.”

Imy

“I love how your mind works”

“I love how your mind works” and “you lift the energy of the room” are two of the compliments that have stayed with me since I heard them.”

Emma, 23, Oxford

“Your laugh is maybe the most joyful noise I have ever heard”

“Your laugh is maybe the most joyful noise I have ever heard. I could listen to it forever.”

Mishti, Cambridge

“You’re my earth tie”

“My best friend told me I’m her “earth tie” and where she feels most rooted and grounded to herself and to feeling calm and happy.”

Morgan, London

“You make space for me to be myself.”

“You make space for me to be myself.” Made me feel like what I do and how I act matters.”

Charlie, Leeds

“You’re so inquisitive”

“One of the nicest things to me was something I don’t even think the person meant as a compliment. They told me I was ‘one of the most inquisitive people they knew,’ which was something I noticed about myself after they’d said it and something I really came to like about myself.”

Alice, 22, London

“You make the world a little brighter”

“Someone once told me I make their world a little bit brighter and it stuck with me (especially when you’re trying your best to get through your own issues).”

Becky, 26, London

“You’re my glitter in the dark”

“Somebody once told me that I’m their glitter in the dark and it made me cry.”

Naomi, London

“You could make friends with a tree”

“Someone once told me that I could make friends with a tree and I always say that’s the nicest thing, if a bit random.”

Ellie, 26, London

“You can do whatever you want to”

“You can do whatever you want to do.”

Agnes

“I hope my daughter is like you”

“I was once told by a teacher and mentor that they hoped that their daughter would be like me when she grew up, which was just the sweetest thing.”

Amy, 23, London

“You’re a constellation”

“I was once told that my face moles looked like constellations. I think they were high but I still liked the compliment.”

Jo, South East England

“You’re part of the family”

“My best friend’s family invited me to theirs for Christmas this year and they said that I already felt like part of the family anyway, which really touched me.”

Alex, London

Images: Getty