How do you react when a stranger randomly compliments you?

bloozing

I've gotten compliments on clothes randomly

Say thanks and keep it moving

Isagirl72

I am learning to be grateful, normally I blush and fall silent look away etc...

headofphat

thanks.

Chaotic_Weevil

As long as it's not sleazy, or screamed at me as I'm trying to walk down the street, I generally find it to be a nice thing.

Honestly, the best compliments for me have always been about non physical things- when somebody has called me smart or funny or kind. Those ones make me happiest

JenAndSome

All of the compliments I get are really awkward, but I still usually just say thank you and carry on with my life because I was taught to always use your manners.

galaxyhearts

Well, I'm awkward, soooo, even though I don't mean to, I usually somehow find a way to undermine the compliment.

example:
"I like your outfit"

my awkward response:
"Thanks it was on sale..."

????

Generally followed by me wondering wtf is wrong with me.

Unknown

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randomtai

I say thank you and hope they don't say anything else, especially if it is a guy.

DawnieB1977

I always think they're crazy lol. When I was in Cuba on my honeymoon a Canadian guy told me I was beautiful. It was weird, he kind of turned round and stared at me, and said 'wow, you're really beautiful'. Um, ok.

blackcrossknight

Drunk, or just just hollering obnoxiously, I just blow off after a quick turn of head to make sure it was aimed towards me. A compliment on the other hand, 'oh! You look nice! Lost a lot of weight' isn't too uncommon while I'm out walking (Everyone here walks or bikes) and I just kinda of awkwardly '....uhh.. thanks?' I have no idea how to talk to strangers. I feel bad sometimes, because I can take and appreciate a compliment, but it comes out unsure and and awkward like I'm questioning them and can't take the compliment lol.

zyxst

"Thank you?"

The_Aly_Wei

galaxyhearts wrote: »

Well, I'm awkward, soooo, even though I don't mean to, I usually somehow find a way to undermine the compliment.

example:
"I like your outfit"

my awkward response:
"Thanks it was on sale..."

????

Generally followed by me wondering wtf is wrong with me.

Sounds about right...followed by standing there just a second too long.

Eserra0510

I smile and say thank you! Its funny how people react to simple things like a compliment or a simple smile. When I pass someone I usually smile at them. You never know--you might be the first or the only smile they receive all day and you just made the person feel better, and not so invisible to the world. Had a discussion with a group of folks one time about that and I tested my hypothesis that most people will smile in return. I was traveling so the airports was a great place to pass by a lot of people and I found that 75% approximately smiled right back at me. A few were startled by the smile but then smiled back and then there were a few, very few, who looked at me like I had two heads or something.

wonderfullymadebyhim

Medivh73 wrote: »

Hahaha - love this....

In all honesty, it depends on the "creep factor" of the person giving it. In general, my self-esteem took such a beating over the years, I have my own personal issues with accepting compliments but am flattered as well. It's especially nice as you start to age!

leggup

Unless it's creepy. Then:

thesupremeforce

ItsMeGee3

Smile and say thank you.

_JustDG_

They don't?

temptingbiter

I just say thank you. I doesn't happen much though.

Whitcomb84

I have a hard time believing them

JtKeil

I think it's nice, I smile and say thank you

holagatita

say "thank you" as long ias it doesn't get weird

lawandfitness

Say thank you and then carry on so it doesn't get awkward

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WMDemetree

say thank you and add them on FB... I need all the compliments I can get.

JenAndSome

BFDeal wrote: »

Never gotten one. Don't see it happening anytime soon. Women don't randomly compliment guys unless they're really fit and good looking. It's a thing.

This is not completely true. I compliment guys if they have something that stands out about them, like a great shirt or a dapper mustache. I think I'm going to make it a point to randomly compliment guys more often.

richardositosanchez

I say thanks.

FabulousFantasticFifty

Say Thank You and soak it in all day especially if from someone who is extremely Beautiful that I could never compare myself to.

T1DCarnivoreRunner

JenAndSome wrote: »

BFDeal wrote: »

Never gotten one. Don't see it happening anytime soon. Women don't randomly compliment guys unless they're really fit and good looking. It's a thing.

This is not completely true. I compliment guys if they have something that stands out about them, like a great shirt or a dapper mustache. I think I'm going to make it a point to randomly compliment guys more often.

Wow, that is really great of you to start doing that. I'll second that I don't get complimented, but I'm not exactly good looking (yet) anyway. There was once I was talking to a woman, hanging out with a group at a bar and talking politics (to each their own, right?). We had seen each other around a few times, but didn't really know each other well. I knew we had that in common, and she had complimented me so I thought she might be interested in dating (because otherwise women don't ever compliment men, right?). I was kinda hitting on her back. She later sent me a message and basically said she was not at all interested... she just had sensed I was feeling down and was trying to cheer me up.

There is a fine line in how men "compliment" women... sometimes it is a compliment, but sometimes men harass women. Sometimes we don't know the difference, but I think more often, guys do know and we are just jerks.

How would I react? Well, in the above situation, my reaction was based on several factors beyond the compliment. I was once in a grocery store a few years ago, and was wearing my "Employee of the Month - Dunder Mifflin Paper Company" t-shirt (I miss that show now). I came around the corner, and this woman in that aisle looked at me and started laughing. She said, "Nice shirt - I love that show." I just said "Thank you... and I know, Steve Carell is hilarious, right?!"

JenAndSome

midwesterner85 wrote: »

JenAndSome wrote: »

BFDeal wrote: »

Never gotten one. Don't see it happening anytime soon. Women don't randomly compliment guys unless they're really fit and good looking. It's a thing.

This is not completely true. I compliment guys if they have something that stands out about them, like a great shirt or a dapper mustache. I think I'm going to make it a point to randomly compliment guys more often.

Wow, that is really great of you to start doing that. I'll second that I don't get complimented, but I'm not exactly good looking (yet) anyway. There was once I was talking to a woman, hanging out with a group at a bar and talking politics (to each their own, right?). We had seen each other around a few times, but didn't really know each other well. I knew we had that in common, and she had complimented me so I thought she might be interested in dating (because otherwise women don't ever compliment men, right?). I was kinda hitting on her back. She later sent me a message and basically said she was not at all interested... she just had sensed I was feeling down and was trying to cheer me up.

That may be why women are less inclined to compliment. They may want to be nice, but not have the guy read too much into it.