20 Sweet Compliments To Make Your Friend's Day

When spoken with sincerity, a compliment, an expression of praise or admiration, ranks right up there with vanilla lattes, rom coms, and boys who are both intelligent and funny. And the only thing better than receiving a compliment is giving one. Why, you ask. Because a compliment makes you smile, increases self-esteem, and boasts confidence. Plus, a compliment is the ultimate win-win scenario. The recipient of the compliment gets a much-needed affirmation of self-worth, while the giver of the compliment feels good because she made someone else feel good. Below are 20 compliments designed to make your friend's day.

Don't misunderstand me, girls. We are much more than our outward appearance. We are intelligent, creative, and complex beings capable of, I think, running the entire the world, if we don't already! But let's keep it real: some of us, maybe even most of us, spend a lot of time thinking about our hair. So we love it when a friend of ours, a friend we trust, looks us in the eye, strokes our newly styled, freshly-conditioned locks, and says, "This looks fabulous!"

Come on, ladies, I can't be the only one who's been on the couch eating chocolate ice cream when one of those L'Oreal commercials has come on and thought, "I would sell my soul to have that model's complexion." I mean, what girl doesn't want to be told she has glowing, radiant skin like the super models on TV? And if it's a trusted and beloved friend who pays you the compliment, you feel fantastic--almost good enough to plunk down $80 for a tiny bottle of French moisturizer.

A good friend is definitely worth her weight in gold, especially if she gives awesome advice, too. So make sure to tell your friend how much you rely on her sage wisdom and how much you appreciate it. And if you really want to sweeten the deal, accompany the compliment with homemade cupcakes. Me, I like red velvet. Yummy.

Don't assume that because you're constantly begging your friend to borrow her fabulous clothes that she knows how awesome her fashion sense is. She may know it, or she may not. Either way, you, as her friend, should pay her the compliment. Because all girls love to her that someone else thinks she has a unique style and an enviable sense of fashion.

A quick exercise. Look at yourself in the mirror, smile, and say, "You're the funniest person I know. Really." Feels good, right? Makes you feel like you're cool and hip and totally worth knowing and hanging out with, no? Now, just imagine paying your friend this same compliment. But to ensure maximum effect, maybe wait until your friend, an otherwise fun, outgoing, and lovely person, is a bit down in the dumps, or perhaps not feeling or looking her best, and then tell her how much fun you have with her. It will, for sure, make her smile and, quite possibly, stop that pesky autumn cold in its tracks.

Ah, memories. When you boil it all down, that's what you're left with in this life: your memories. So if you remember fondly that booze-filled Spring Break in Cancun with your BFF, or the time you were down with the flu and your number one girl friend brought over homemade chicken soup and Bridget Jones Diary on DVD (remember those?), you should let her know what those memories mean to you. You'll both have fun reminiscing over Chardonnay and carbs, and viola, that will become a great memory, too.

Most girls have had a fair weather friend, the kind of friend who, when things are going well, is available and happy and fun, but when you hit a rough patch, she disappears into a puff of smoke. Suddenly, whenever your boyfriend decides to cheat on you, or your favorite Aunt Mildred passes away, your fair weather friend is unavailable. Does this sound familiar? If so, then, hopefully, you have learned the true value of a loyal friend, and if you're lucky enough to have one, you should pay her the compliment and say, "You've always been there for me, and I really appreciate it." Check out what the experts at Psychology Today have to say on the subject of loyalty and friendship.

Okay, hard truth: even in 2017, girls can get overlooked in the intelligence department. Which, as an intelligent (and confident) female myself, I find not only annoying, but discouraging. Still, I'm not now or ever going to wave the white flag on this issue and let those unenlightened people who don't understand or recognize how smart girls can be win. Long story short, if you have an intelligent female friend, you need to let her know that a) you see and appreciate her intelligence, and b) she should never, ever try to hide it--for anyone, for any reason, period. Trust me, she will definitely appreciate the compliment.

Of course, it's nice when your parents or your teachers tell you how much they believe in you. But when a girl friend sits you down over iced coffees and tells you that she believes in you, and she believes in your talents and skills, you just melt inside. Truly, this type of compliment puts real wind in a girl's sails and makes her want to go out and conquer the world. Only a true friend delivering this compliment can have the kind of meaningful and visceral impact on a girl.

Being dependable may not be the sexiest compliment, but it sure is a meaningful. So whether your friend is there for you when you need a ride to the airport, or when you need a shoulder to cry on because (god forbid!) NBC decides to cancel This Is Us, a dependable friend's value is priceless.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: a good listener is a dying breed. Perhaps it is the speed of contemporary life and/or the advent of super-fast technology, but we just don't listen the way we used to, and I think that's a crying shame. All the more reason to let your friend, who always listens to you rant about dating problems and bad bosses, know how boss her listening skills are and how much you appreciate it. Bonus compliment: tell her she's such a good listener she should have her own talk show like Oprah Winfrey or Barbara Walters.

Think about all the times when you have wronged a friend. Maybe you borrowed your friend's new Prius and dinged the fender in the Starbucks parking lot (not that I'm speaking from personal experience or anything like that). Or perhaps you inadvertently went on a date with her ex, and even though nothing happened, you felt terrible for days. Now, ask yourself this: when you confessed your wrongdoing, did your friend forgive you? If so, she's a real friend, and you should pay her this compliment: "You are so forgiving, and I really appreciate that."

Fact: everyone judges everyone else. Period. No way around it. It's human nature. However, a good friend will not be overly judgmental whenever you make a mistake or do something you shouldn't have. My advice: don't let this friend get away; she's priceless.

If you have a friend that sends you a silly Kimoji when you're having a rotten day, or she shows up at your work with red velvet cupcakes right at that point in the afternoon when you're starting to fade mentally, you need to let her know what her friendship means to you. Plus, if you pay her this particular compliment, chances are she'll want to keep right on cheering you up when you're down and vice versa.

A no-brainer of a compliment. But I'll let Psychology Today briefly explain how important being thoughtful is in a friendship.

If I had one wish for all the girls out there, it is this: that all of you have (or will have) a friend that you can just be yourself around, no matter what. That type of friendship is so rich and fulfilling, and if you have a friend who accepts you for you, flaws and all, you should compliment her on that. Early and often. And if I had second wish: that more strong women end up as heads of countries. What the world needs now is more sharp, strong, and compassionate females in positions of authority.

The old saying goes, "Forgive and forget." However, in the real world, where real human beings have real emotions and real egos, people can forgive, but they rarely forget. Which makes the friend who truly doesn't hold a grudge as rare as a unicorn, and, in my opinion, more beautiful than the one-horned mythical beast. Act now: pay this special friend the compliment.

Look around your house or apartment. If you see gorgeous artwork on the walls, the decorative pillows on the couch, and leftover cupcakes in the shape of Ryan Gosling or Idris Elba, and you realize that one of your friends is responsible for creating all of those things, then it's time to reach into the compliment bag. Let her know how creative she is. She'll appreciate it.

Aside from the Grinch and grouchy, bitter old men, does anyone want to be around negative people? I sure don't. I'd much rather surround myself with positive, upbeat folks who look on the bright side of life. So if you have a friend that is positive and upbeat, pay her a compliment. Not only is it the sweet and caring thing to do, it will make you want to be positive and upbeat as well.

No one has ever said, "I'm tired of people respecting my opinion." No, people, your friends especially, enjoy and appreciate it when you solicit their advice and then act upon their suggestions. But even though you may be constantly seeking out this friend and looking for her pearls of wisdom, she may not know how much these conversations mean to her. Take the opportunity to pay her the following compliment: "I couldn't make it without your sage advice. Thank you."