Change #20: Accepting compliments

I have so many friends who when you compliment them on their appearance, charm, nature, brush it off with some throwaway comment. For example: You look great today - well, I didn't get much sleep, so my hair is all over the place. That's a lovely outfit - oh it was a real bargain, found it in the sale. You're so lovely - you don't know what I'm like at home. This is all so familiar because it's pretty much what I do myself. What is that about? What a rubbish culture, where we have now way of receiving the lovely stuff that people offer us. I know one lady, who when you say 'It's lovely to see you' says 'Yes, it is'. It always makes me laugh, but maybe she has something about her that makes me feel uncomfortable, maybe she likes herself enough to know that I mean it when I see her, and I do! If you tell her she looks lovely, she says 'Thank you'. How hard can that be?
I am going to accept all compliments and start paying more.

1. No alcohol – there are some beautiful and delicious things to drink and I am looking forward to having some of them, some of the time. i have been reading my list of reasons not to drink, and I think many of them are being addressed by the other changes I am making, interesting
2. Mindful eating – food has never looked so good, really
3. Daily body scan – I may have to go back to the full 45 minute session and perhaps not do it every single day
4. Charity shop shopping – I'm not really shopping at all at the moment except for food
5. Mindful breathing every hour – this has slipped a little, need to up it again
6. Remembering my friends – my friends are so lovely, they keep me in touch with their lives, and send me love. I send them my own
7. Smiling regularly – Ruby gave me some funny youtube links. Some people didn't think they were funny, but I am ready to laugh these days
8. Help if and when I can – Have clawed some time back from work, it involved saying 'No' and more importantly do not feel guilty
9. 
   
   Italian conversation class – Starts tonight, plus I have done the first unit in my library book
10. Becoming a blogger – Am doing this before work, it feels important to maintain this, even if it is just so I take the time to assess things on a daily basis
11. Writing 10 mins daily – really enjoyed writing a real live paper and pen letter to Christopher and Sarah yesterday
12. Drinking a glass of water every hour – feel tired and more achy when I am not doing this properly
13. Thinking about it, before I say yes or no – more so, but have realised I have a tendency sometimes to say nothing when I do want to
14. 
    
    Having my eyes tested – still adjusting to new specs
15. Walking in the fresh air every day – hmmm
16. Pilates core exercise throughout day – doing it right now while I am blogging
17. 
    
    Listening to my needs and wants – differentiating between needs and wants more
18. Mindful spending – was going to buy something today online when I stopped and thought about it. Didn't really want or need it, just fancied spending money, so I had a lovely cup of coffee instead and the feeling passed
19. Neck exercises – keep forgetting, will try again