Does Your Inner Voice Know How Amazing You Are?

When someone tells you that you are amazing, or generous, or beautiful, or inspiring, how do you respond? Do you give them the requisite, "Ugh, no I'm not. I'm so [fill in some randomly negative term here]?"

Some have learned to respond with, "Thank you." I remember learning this in undergrad. If you say thank you, you validate their opinion and blah blah blah. I mean, the psychologist in me totally buys that, but come on. Can't we do better than just validating one another's opinions?

I say, embrace it. Exclaim at the top of your lungs, "YES I AM!" Because, if someone took the time to tell you, then you probably are. And you know what? If they are taking the time to tell you, then they are, too. Feel free to let them know that. 

It doesn't steal anything from others to accept your own amazingness (or generosity or beauty or inspiration). It gives them permission to start accepting their own. And it's time we all started giving ourselves permission to acknowledge our strengths and stop apologizing for our weaknesses (especially those things we perceive as weakness, but really are probably just more examples of our amazingness). 

So, unless you are some sort of sociopath, chances are you are amazing. Embrace it and go ahead and let the world know.