7 Comments
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Matt Jamison's avatar

As a veteran, I've learned to respond to "thank you for your service" with a simple "you're welcome."

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Scott H.'s avatar

Yeah, I appreciate this advice. It keeps it from being false humility or self-degradation and just takes the statement at face value.

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Lysander Spooner's avatar

Thank you.

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Jason Jonker's avatar

When people compliment my pick up, I invariably tell them it was a salvage vehicle we paid cash for. Both facts are true, but I guess I could just say, "Thanks." Haha. I'm full blooded Dutch Midwesterner.

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Joel Carini's avatar

Thanks for this advice.

Looks like the book is already unavailable at that discounted price!

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Craig Smith's avatar

I used to downgrade the compliments, Midwestern style. But I realized that when doing so, you are generally sending one of two messages to the person giving the compliment: (1) "you're wrong" or (2) "I want you to keep saying nice things, so I'll denigrate what you said so you shower me with more compliments." Neither message is one that I want to send to someone who took time to be specifically kind to me.

Now my default response is to smile and say, "Thank you. That is very kind of you to say."

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Trevor Ewen's avatar

I implemented this (fully) a year ago. Gotta say. It's much better. The self deprecating thing is self indulgent. It feels like you are doing the right thing in that moment, but there is something very disingenuous about it.

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