I find myself complimenting people a lot.

Sometimes so often that I feel people might think my comments hold no truth to them. While that's never the case, usually the extent of my compliments are superficial—on traits like nice eyes or hair or a piece of clothing I wish I owned myself.

The other day I opened an email that read: "I appreciated your positivity, you made yourself very pleasant to be around." Immediately my face lit up. It's not often people compliment each other on the things we actually have control over—the things that actually make us who we are.

It was a prospective student I had shown around for a good twenty minutes that sent me that message. I thought, heck if someone who's known me for 20 minutes can say something to make me feel that good, I know a whole lot of people I can pass this feeling along to.

Every once in a while I get the urgency to compliment people on their energy or thoughtfulness. Why is it that when I want to do this I tend to hesitate and debate whether I should say it or not? Honestly, usually it's because I feel like as a society we've deemed it weird or unusual to say to someone, "Hey, you've got great energy, it really makes a difference in my day."

No one really says that to one another, even when they feel it—myself included.

But when I got this email I felt a sort of way that makes me want to think I need to start.

If you're reading this I challenge you, just as I'm challenging myself, to go ahead and compliment someone on something other than a physical trait next time you feel they deserve it. Do it even when it scares you. Do it especially when it scares you.

I've learned people might not remember what you say to them, but more often than not they remember how you make feel.

We all have an incredible amount of power to make people feel good. I think we would all benefit from using it more often.