10 Ways To Compliment Somebody That Have Nothing To Do With Their Body

By De Elizabeth

It’s a phrase you’re likely to be able to see in Instagram comments, or overhear indoor a dressing room at the mall: “You’re so skinny,” a phrase often meant as a compliment that can be obtained as anything but.

As a word, “skinny” is a nebulous concept with an arbitrary reference point; what one individual perceives to be criteria for its use may not align with another person’s idea of it, given that people will probably interpret thinness in different ways. Whether or not it’s a compliment at all is also dependent on a couple of factors, not least of all given that aesthetics standards vary from the public to society, and era to era. And for a lot of people, including the 30 million Americans who will experience a eating disorder at some point in their lives, that one word can prove to be exceedingly harmful.

According to Chevese Turner, Chief Policy and Plan of action Officer at the National Consuming food Disorders Association (NEDA), “We reside in a thin-obsessed society and culture. Anything that alludes to the privileges of living in a thin body is imagined a compliment.” She added, “the best-known environmental advocate to the development of consuming food disorders is the sociocultural idealization of thinness.”

NEDA, whose 2019 National Consuming food Disorders Awareness Week campaign highlights the fact consuming food disorders can affect anyone without consideration of appearance, reports that multiple statistics have connected “exposure to the thin ideal in mass media to body dissatisfaction.” According to NEDA’s research, 69 percent of elementary school women who read magazines announced that photographs they saw influenced their notion of an ideal body shape, with 47 percent talking about the photographs make them wish to lose body fat. And while body inclusivity in the style industry is slowly becoming more common, the reality is that most of them of models in today’s ad campaigns are thin. According to The Style Spot’s 2018 Diversity Report, plus-size representation in ad campaigns hit an all-time low in the past year; of the 192 style print ads that were analyzed, only seven plus-size models were featured.

Given that so several people grew up with saturated exposure to unrealistic body standards, it’s no surprise that the word “skinny” would carry significant associations. Yet it’s crucial to challenge those connotations for a few reasons. “When we value ‘skinny’ we are sending the message that it is only as soon as someone is thin that they are valuable, lovable, and worthy,” Melissa McCormick, a licensed mental health counselor with a specialization in consuming food disorders, told MTV News. “It is dangerous in subtle and overt ways. As soon as we value thinness and connect it to being a good person, we also devalue those that never fit that ‘ideal.’”

Fortunately, there really are are an array of actual compliments to pick from that don’t reinforce dangerous body standards. And if we imagine the fact that every body is pretty, at every size and shape, it’s worth exploring words that have nothing to do with physical appearance at all. As McCormick explained: “Compliments are constantly more impactful as soon as they are about qualities within a person, versus their appearance.” Turner agreed, suggesting that we concentrate on words that “capture someone’s true essence.” So as a substitute opposed to telling a friend how “skinny” they look, think about using one of those words as a substitute — it may just be helping more than any of us may realize.

Adventurous: Does your friend habitually seem to be trying new things that you’d be afraid to attempt? Give them props, because being bold isn’t habitually easy.

Considerate: It never hurts to acknowledge someone’s efforts while they go out of their way to do something kind, whether they distribute to drive you somewhere or text you their notes once you’re absent from class.

Creative: If your friend is an artist of some categorize — or maybe fancies themselves a Instagram photographer — there's a good chance they’ll love hearing that their work seems unique and inspirational.

Funny: Making someone laugh or realizing that yes, your jokes are actually funny is one of the primary feelings ever.

Friendly: Since we were in kindergarten, being nice has been touted as one of the big qualities of all time — and yes it still holds up.

Hard-working: Got a friend whose hustle is admirable? Let them know how much you’re motivated by their own success.

Interesting: This is an excellent word to use to initiate conversation — especially in case you wish to know more about your friend.

Positive: Having an optimistic friend is like striking gold, and while no one should be expected to feign a good attitude once they’re absolutely not feeling it, sustaining a positive outlook is shouting out any time as soon as you can.

Reliable: Having a friend you could depend on is so valuable. Tell them how much their sincere nature means to you.

Spontaneous: While it’s some days good to have a plan, there’s routinely room for a little bit spontaneity in one’s life. And in case you happen to have a friend whose wild ideas turn into the ideal adventures, you’re one of the lucky ones.

If you or someone you know is struggling with a consuming food disorder, head to neda.Mtv.Com to get help.