I have never been one to accept a compliment well. I always brush it off by saying, “No, you’re just saying that”—or something like that. I let it go over my head. I shrug it away. I let the compliment linger and then walk away with no spoken gratitude because it feels weird to thank someone for complimenting me.

But is it weird? Is receiving compliments weird?

It’s not.

If you’re anything like me, you might agree in thinking it’s slightly uncomfortable to accept compliments.

Accepting a compliment shouldn’t feel weird. It’s kindness. The person is paying a compliment—a kind of kindness. That person took a minute out of their day, time out of their lives, and focused it on me. So, in response, I pay it back with one token of gratitude.

Later, with that kind of kindness in the back of my head, I pay it forward to a dear friend. I pay them with a compliment. That friend pays it back with their token of gratitude.

Do you see where I’m going?

What comes to mind when you hear “paying it forward”? Maybe the idea of paying for the order of the person behind you in the drive-thru line. That’s the first thing that comes to my mind. But paying it forward can look like many things: Leaving a tip for a server or waiter, sending an email of gratitude, letting someone go in front of you in line, learning the names of people you see every day, and so on.

Paying it forward can be big things, too, like donating clothing and home items to shelters and giving financially to organizations. But paying it forward can include small things, ones like I mentioned above.

When you receive a compliment or someone extends kindness to you, take it. Receive it. Extend gratitude to them and then pay it forward to someone else. Sooner or later, it can cause a chain, or a ripple effect. It may not make a big difference in the world, but it can make a difference in someone’s life.