Highly specific question, I know.
When people compliment me, I genuinely don’t know what to do. It feels like they’ve given me a physical object, and I’m just standing there holding it awkwardly, but I don’t know what to do with it.
Complements and praise does nothing for me emotionally, so I just say “thank you”; in the same way you thank a kid that handed you a rock they found on the ground.
Like, I appreciate the sentiment — as in, I know they’re trying to be nice or something, so it doesn’t bother me. It’s just one of many small things that makes social stuff a bit harder. For example, I probably don’t give out any complements to other people, because it doesn’t occur to me as an important thing to do. I’m sure this has many effects in my life I’m not aware of.
At my work I wish everyone would just get a sticker every time they came through on something.
That way I know I did good and can feel good about it on my own.
When someone is like “Hey I just wanted you to know I appreciate what you do around here :)” I have no idea what to do with that.
Yeah… I’m like, “ok… what exactly did I do that mattered”. And, when it turns out that ‘what mattered’ is that I just did my job then it’s like, why doesn’t everyone just do their job? Why is that special and why are they still working here if they don’t do their job?