50 Compliments You Can Give That Have Nothing to do With Appearance

Have you ever had someone give you a compliment on you hair which immediately spurred endless thoughts of how your hair must look terrible every other day?

Appearances-based compliments, while good-intentioned, can sometimes cause more harm than good. Complimenting someone on their weight loss tells them that they look much better now than they did before, and reinforces the idea that they have to be thin to be worthy of love and approval. When a little girl is only complimented on her appearance, she is taught that the most interesting and valuable thing about her is how she looks.

While appearance-based compliments are not innately bad, they are terribly shallow in comparison to the meaningful compliments that we can make about one’s inner beauty.

When you compliment your friend’s inner beauty, you are making a meaningful connection with her by acknowledging and appreciating her gifts, talents, passions, and personality traits.

During this holiday season, show your friends and family what they mean to you by saying more than, “You look so nice!”

Feeling stuck on what to say to compliment your loved ones in meaningful ways? I’ve got you covered with 50 compliments that have nothing to do with appearance.

1. You are such a good cook! I always love your homemade meals.

2. Thanks for being such a great hostess, you always go out of your way to make me feel comfortable.

3. You are such a great photographer.

4. I love talking with you.

5. You are such a great friend.

6. I love your holiday decorations! You are so creative!

7. You are a great musician.

8. I love your taste in music.

9. You have such a great sense of style. You really have an eye for fashion.

10. You have such a great sense of humor.

11. I love the way you are so personable and can strike up a conversation with anyone.

12. You have such a kind heart.

13. I love the way you light up a room with your enthusiastic spirit.

14. You have such a great energy.

15. You are an amazing ice skater.

16. I love spending time with you.

17. You always know how to make me smile.

18. You are a great storyteller.

19. It’s very admirable how you can be calm in stressful situations.

20. You are such a kind person.

21. I love how you embrace the joy in life.

22. I love how you are such a kid at heart.

23. You are so clever. I know I can always go to you for a solution to my problems.

24. You give great advice.

25. You have such an energetic spirit.

26. I love how you are so socially aware.

27. I love how passionate you are about social justice issues.

28. I love how you are always looking out for those around you.

29. You are such a hard worker.

30. You are such a supportive and giving person.

31. I admire how much you do for others.

32. I love how you take care of yourself.

33. You have the best dance moves.

34. You’re such a caring person

35. You are a wonderful artist.

36. You are a great listener.

37. Your happiness is contagious.

38. Your friendship is so important to me.

39. I admire your integrity.

40. You are a great leader.

41. You are so understanding.

42. You are so compassionate.

43. I love how you’re so down to earth.

44. I love how genuine you are at all times.

45. You are so strong.

46. I love your confidence. It’s contagious.

47. You are so talented.

48. I love how positive you are.

49. You are very intelligent. I always learn something when I talk to you.

50. You inspire me to be a better person.

Here’s to a holiday that is rich with meaningful conversations, appreciation for our loved ones, and love for ourselves.

Let’s inspire a culture where people are loved and appreciated beyond their outward appearance.