The Subtle Insult!

We often recognize an insult when we hear it, right? When they are blatant, yes we do. For example, someone says, "You're a terrible singer. Don't quit your day job!"

"Ouch! It was just Happy Birthday!"

But there are other kinds of insults that are so subtle, you may not recognize them right away. In fact, they might almost, almost sound like a compliment. At first.

Here are some examples of subtle compliments ...

"Your writing is really good. No advanced degree required, it's so basic."

"Your house is so cute and quaint! Good thing you're not claustrophobic."

"Be glad you don't have pretty flowers in your garden. They're really hard to keep alive without a reputable gardener."

"Wow! You look great. I didn't even recognize you."

"You turned in a great presentation. Not as good as Craig's, but kudos."

"Your hair looks so good, in spite of it being so thin."

You get the idea. Those subtle "compliments" are actually digs.

For whatever reason, the person feels the need to put you down, but they do it in a way they can defend. For instance, you might respond, "My hair isn't that thin, I think it looks good." And the person might say, "You don't have to get so defensive ... I was just paying you a compliment."

Sure they were. Look out for these subtle insults. And when you hear them, simply say, "Thank you!" and move on. Don't give them any energy. The person will always deny they're insulting you. It's not worth the fight.