Be specific
If you really want to give a compliment, keep away from the standard your hair looks nice,your shoes look nice or your clothes look nice because people have heard these before. It pays to be specific with your compliments and use I statements, as they are undeniable. Focus on peoples personality traits and praise people when they do something well.
How to compliment friends
What I often do with friends is say, “I really like having you as a friend because…” Or, “I have known you for years and I am grateful to you for…”Or “Thank you for listening to me just now, you have made me feel a lot better”. When you are specific about why you are grateful to someone, they are so much more appreciative. If you do really like the way your friend dresses, say something like,”I really like the way you put clothes together, its always so clever and it suits you a lot”, rather than a throwaway, “Oh you have nice shoes”.
How to compliment your partner
Men in particular like to be acknowledged for what they have done. So if you have been nagging your partner to do something around the house and they do it, its good to say, “I appreciate that you did that for me”as it makes them feel appreciated, and in turn, loved.
For women, pick something specific like an experience and use that. You could say, “I really liked our date last night, I had forgotten how much you made me laugh”.
How to compliment your boss
This is definitely not a no-go zone. We are all the same everyone likes a compliment. You could say something like, “I really appreciated how you supported me in that meeting” or “I am really grateful that you understand my flexible working hours”. Compliments like this are definitely acceptable, and you are actually encouraging that behaviour to continue, and contributing to a more positive workplace.
