January 28th is National Compliment Day and what better way to get ready than with some great friendship quotes? After all, our friends deserve all the kind words we can possibly bestow upon them, and we usually find ourselves remiss in the practice of complimenting those who deserve it most. Here are 12 quotes to nudge you in the right direction.

1. “I can live for two months on a good compliment.” ~ Mark Twain

2. “There never was a woman who did not prefer an oblique compliment to a straight truth – if the latter were unflattering.” ~ Minna Antrim

3. “The best compliment to a child or a friend is the feeling you give him that he has been set free to make his own inquiries, to come to conclusions that are right for him, whether or not they coincide with your own.” ~ Alistair Cooke

4. “Everybody likes a compliment.” ~ Abraham Lincoln

5. “To be trusted is a greater compliment than to be loved.” ~ George MacDonald

6. “If people did not compliment one another there would be little society.” ~ Marquis De Vauvenargues

7. “Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” ~ Leo F. Buscaglia

8. “If you want to win friends, make it a point to remember them. If you remember my name, you pay me a subtle compliment; you indicate that I have made an impression on you. Remember my name and you add to my feeling of importance.” ~ Dale Carnegie quotes

9. “A friend is one who incessantly pays us the compliment of expecting from us all the virtues, and who can appreciate them in us. The friend asks no return but that his friend will religiously accept and wear and not disgrace his apotheosis of him. They cherish each other’s hopes. They are kind to each other’s dreams.” ~ Henry David Thoreau

10. “A compliment is something like a kiss through a veil.” ~ Victor Hugo

11. “To compliment your friends is easy, yet it’s something that’s not done often enough. To compliment your enemies should be painful indeed, yet we do it every time we give them the turn of our attention.” ~ Author Unknown

12. “A compliment is verbal sunshine.” ~ Robert Orben

And that, my friends, is why sincere compliments are so important. Let us remember to pay our friends the compliments they deserve. Not only on National Compliment Day, but every day throughout the year.

Men have a lot of conflicting opinions these days when it comes to giving women compliments. Some men love to flatter women about their beauty and cant understand why it never creates attraction. Other men become bitter because women don’t jump into their arms when they tell her she’s beautiful. Even more guys don’t give women compliments in an effort to differentiate themselves from other men who have hit on her. What if I told you their all right and all wrong at the same time?

If that last statement confuses you, you have a problem. Think about how many times women hear guys say, “you are beautiful” in their lifetime. This compliment means nothing to them; in fact, beautiful women hear this so often they may become annoyed. The problem is three fold, first she hears the typical compliments from every other guy she meets, two, complimenting a women on her looks often comes across as needy and desperate, and last but certainly not least, women want to feel they are desirable for something else other than their looks.

Luckily for you we are not just presenting the problem here, but the solution as well. We are men and of course we adore women above almost all else. Some times it can be difficult not to tell a women she’s amazing in one respect or another. You can give a woman a compliment but the catch is that you can compliment her on almost anything other than her looks. The attitude you should have about women is that beauty is a common thing, what make a woman worthy of your praise are her qualities as an individual.

To make this concept a little easier for you we can cover a few ideas. A woman hears she is beautiful constantly but how many men do you think have complimented her on her style or being well dressed? Not many if any men have said to her “I like your style” or “I think you’re the best dressed women here.” Just remember to stay away from complimenting specific items she is wearing because she may think your gay. Some other examples of great compliments are her energy or attitude, her sense of humor or quick wit, her taste in music, movie, etc., and how she carries herself.

You should see that these are genuine compliments about who she is as an individual. This kind of complement will make her feel good the way you intended. You will also notice that it takes more observation and true appreciation on your part. Are you up to it?
Now there is one last thing to remember when complimenting any women. Your delivery is just as important as the words themselves. Most men sound insecure or in ah of a women when they compliment her, often looking at her like a puppy dog begging for a treat. Your compliments should be delivered in a matter of fact kind of tone. This means you are simply expressing an observation and you are indifferent as to how she reacts to your comment. This will communicate an attitude of confidence and security with yourself.

As you can see it is possible to make women feel good by complimenting them without looking needy or shallow. As with many aspects of our interactions with women the underlying attitude or context of the interaction is more important than the exact words you use. So keep reading and learning through experience.

Hi Sara,

I like this guy. He’s one of those really hot guys that every girl likes and he knows it and he seems stuck up and conceited about it. He knows all the women want him and definitely knows he’s hot stuff but all the times I have talked to him he seems nice.

So today I saw him and saw that his beard had grown. So I pointed it out and said “you have a beard!” and he said “yeah I have had a lot of exams so I haven’t been shaving, that’s why I look like this.” I playfully punched him and murmured in his ear “you always look good” in that tone, if you know what I mean.

He just said “oooooooooooook”

Hmmm. Ok. Does that mean I shouldn’t have complimented him at all? Should I forget about him because it’s a lost cause now?

/Rachel

Hi Rachel!

I wouldn’t say you shouldn’t bother with him, but your comment definitely caught him off guard.

This is something I tell my readers all the time: You have to pick your targets carefully. Many men will see any girl and just walk up to her and give her some dumb line like, “You really look hot in those torn sweats!” Obvious, she doesn’t feel hot and she knows it’s a line.

This guy obviously didn’t feel hot so you walked up and complimented him when he obviously wasn’t in a vein to be complimented. Frankly, that was pretty dumb – you didn’t listen to him! He told you he wasn’t trying to make a statement with his beard and that he just didn’t have the time to shave, so what do you do? You compliment his looks!

He didn’t take it as a compliment at all, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have a chance with him. The difference now however is that you’re going to have to work a little harder since he probably thinks you were making fun of him.

I suggest you just go ask him out to celebrate being over with finals or something. Don’t talk about his looks – especially if he’s attractive! This is another mistake that guys make all the time (you’re not a guy are you?) He had little to do with his looks – he got those from his parents. If you have to compliment him, do it on something he’s DONE or SAID rather than something he had nothing to do with. Even better, just avoid the compliments until he knows you’re sincere about them – when you’re actually dating him.

Good luck,

Sara

There are times when you are utterly helpless sitting at one corner and looking at him from across the room. You ask yourself often, “how to get the guy you like” and heave a big sigh as you sip your glass empty. The hardest part of being a girl is when you feel so inadequate that you can’t even get the guy you like. But there is always hope, cheer up and read on.

1 – Make your way to be friends with his friends. The perfect way on how to get the guy you like is through his friends. If he sees you fit perfectly in his circle, he will accommodate you.

2 – Don’t be afraid to make eye contact. Simply put, do not be shy whenever he is around. You can’t go on blushing every time. He will think you are too old-fashioned and too delicate that he might not want to mess with you.

3 – Learn a few tricks in flirting. If guys can flirt, you can as well. You can’t get him thinking that you are only up to a certain level. Do not go overboard however because he might think you are not worthy for the chase.

4 – Give him genuine compliments. He will surely melt if you give him genuine compliments. Always remember that men love compliments. So, a little compliment here and there and he will be hooked up in you for certain.

How to get a guy you like is similar to fishing. You need to put on the correct bait in order to lure him out of his protective shell. In order to do this, you need to have at least the personality that they are always looking for in a woman. The best thing about being a woman is that you can be the bait and at the same time you can be a prize for catching the man that you like.

If you want to know everything about men, what they do and how they do it including what they think, just go to Catch & Keep Him and be prepared for a rough road in getting his heart to beat only for you. Remember, men are like a living mystery that you need to unravel every now and then. You don’t want to leave any stone unturned. If you want information you will have just that.

Got this letter from a young guy:

There’s this girl at my school who I’d consider a “10″. I can usually say stuff that girls wanna hear easily. But I wanna really make this girl feel special as I’ve never really complimented her. Any suggestions or ideas? Thanks in advance. Please no corny joke lines or something!

Now, I suggested the young man to take a look around the site – there is plenty of advice here – but would do you think? Let me hear your best compliments!

I’m just wondering what you people think the best complement for a girl is? Let me know you best lines and compliments…

FELLAS! Get your online dating profile written by a professional.

I’ve done some research to discover what makes a good compliment. In other words, I asked my friends to tell me about the nicest thing anyone has said to them. Please add to this list by commenting. I’d love to hear from ya.

What I want to make clear to you is this though:

The lines by themselves are NOT ENOUGH.

I don’t care if you have the best line in the world… if you don’t have “the rest”, chances are it WILL NOT work for you. And even if it does, it won’t be nearly as effective. So, how do you get “the rest”? Well I suggest you take a look at “the master” of how to approach women,  - if anyone knows how to approach women it’s him

Free tips on how to attract, arouse any woman, kiss test, and more

1. The most complimented I’ve ever been is on my butt. One of my former co-workers recently MySpaced me to say, “J Lo’s got nothin’ on you.”

2. You smell great.

3. How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days is my favorite movie too!

4. I had been on a couple dates with this guy that I really liked. On our third date I agreed to drive and when he saw my car he said, “nice wheels.” I’m not sure why, but it made me feel like such a cool chick.

5. You know, you’re gorgeous.

6. Wow, that looks good on you.

7. As long as you’re there, I don’t care where we go.

8. On a first date we were playing the “what if” game. I asked, “If you could change one thing about your life what would it be?” He responded, “I wish I would’ve met you sooner.”

9. You make me a better person.

10. I know this great place… It’s in your arms. Can I go there soon?

BONUS

11. You have a lot of class.

12. You’re the hottest girl in the room.

13. I have a crush on this guy in my building. We ran into each other at the mailbox and he said, “Did you get your haircut?” I actually had gotten my haircut. It must be love.

14. You are the smartest girl I’ve ever dated.

15. You are the perfect kisser.

16. After being on vacation and not going to the gym for weeks my jeans were feeling tight. Silently feeling guilty while eating creme brulee, my boyfriend looked at me and said, “You are looking really good. I don’t think I’ve seen you any skinnier.”

17. My mom is going to love you.

18. You’re different than other girls.

19. I was playing softball with friends when this guy walked by and said, “Hey, you throw like a guy.” I turned around pretending to be offended. He got the message and said, “I mean, you throw good.”

20. I can tell you anything.

21. You’re my best friend.

Best compliments from the movies (hey, if they work for Jack Nicholson they might work for you as well ).

1. You make me want to be a better man. (As Good as It Gets)
2. You should be kissed, and often, and by someone who knows how. (Gone With The Wind)

OK, so it’s more than 10…I couldn’t stop. Check out my really funny list of BAD compliments…aka 10 great ways to insult a woman.

For more compliments visit the DatingTales compliments soundboard.

Call this your compliment alphabet. That’s right. A� complimentary word for every letter. Something for you to use in poems, letters, cards, or for all those dating compliments you might need help with.

A � Adorable
B � Bangin�
C � Clever
D � Dashing
E � Exceptional
F � French. Just say any word in French and she (or) will take it as a compliment.

G � Gorgeous
H � Hellllloooooo
I � Icy hot
J � Jumpin�
K � Killer
L � Lovely
M � Magnificent
N � Never better
O � One of a kind
P � Pure beauty (for the gal) Prime (for the guy)
Q � Quirk (be sure to use it in a cute, fun kind of way)
R � Righteous
S � Splendid or Smart
T � Titillating
U � Unbelievable
V � Vivacious
W � Wild
X � This is a dumb letter:)
Y � Yummy
Z � Zoomin�

I’m sure this headline has you a bit confused. “You smell prettier than a big basket of Christmas cakes” is one of the compliments I came up with to include in the Dating Tales list of funny compliments — and it’s my favorite funny compliment of the bunch so I just had to make it a headline.

If you are new to Dating Tales, then it’s time you be introduced to the full section of compliments — compliment giving is part of what we do here. Not only are compliments helpful in dating, but they are helpful in all of life and we recommend you give them often.

Here’s the run down on most of our compliment lists:

Looking for romantic compliments? We got em’.

Need new compliments to give your gal? We got a list of compliments to give a woman. Read our list of compliments to give a guy too.

Need a reminder of how not to compliment someone? Read our list of bad compliments for a refresher.

Have you just met someone and need a way to knock his or her socks off? Read our list of best dating compliments and the best compliments ever.

Last, but definitely not least, check out the Dating Tales compliments soundboard, which is where it all started.

Today marks the day that my Compliment Challenge must come to end.

In a way I’m happy because I can devote more time to the topic I’m most fascinated with: dating. But it’s also a little sad because in the process of all this complimenting I’ve met a lot of other bloggers and interesting people doing great things that are just downright compliment worthy.

So in a struggle to find something for my final compliment of the challenge I looked around, re-read some things, Stumbled, Tweeted, and then finally found what I thought deserved the most attention.

Chocolate eclairs.

My New Year’s Resolution is to eat more of these. No, not because chocolate eclairs are low in fat and have few calories. Not because you have to step inside of great places like Dunkin’ Donuts and other such bakeries, but because I like them and they make me happy.

This year, unlike all the other years, let’s just be honest about our resolutions. You can count calories, but give yourself one thing you love.

I love chocolate eclairs and the French man or woman that invented it gets a huge compliment from me.