March 1st marks “The Most Positive Day in the World”, World Compliment Day. Unlike Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and Valentine’s Day, World Compliment Day is inclusive to all people. Its purpose is to “address the basic human need for recognition and appreciation”.

World Compliment Day’s official website reads that, “Nobody wins commercially, but everybody gains emotionally.” It is wonderful for there to be a special event dedicated to compliments, but such positive behavior should not be limited to one day alone. A simple, genuine compliment can brighten someone’s spirit, therefore we should make it an effort to be kind to one another everyday.

I have personally experienced the power of a compliment, with the greatest compliment I ever received coming from a high school classmate. She sat next to me in 10th grade, and one day turned and told me, “I like sitting next to you because you make me feel more confident.” Four years later and I still remember those words; not only did her words brighten my day, but it changed my outlook on life. As cheesy as it may sound, it reaffirmed to me that my actions were being recognized and to remain the outgoing person I was.

It is almost standard that when you see someone you ask them, “How are you?”, but rarely do we expect a true answer. It is much more common to simply reply “I’m well.” Genuinely asking how someone is can be as effective, if not more so, than a compliment. Too often do we ignore problems, and instead suffer in silence. Actually asking and caring about how someone is doing opens the door to emotional support and overall better mental health.

Professor Norihiro Sadato, professor at the National Institute for Physiological Sciences in Japan stated that, “We’ve been able to find scientific proof that a person performs better when they receive a social reward after completing an exercise.” If people function better when they are positively reinforced, think of all the work that could get done if more compliments were given.

Please, do not limit compliments to March 1st, but make an effort to spread positivity anytime you can. Tell your parents that you appreciate them or your friends that you care, and brighten their day, everyday.