I was not in a particularly good mood last Saturday. My inbox was full of unwelcome work e-mails and I was on the metro, hungry and annoyed and behind schedule with everything. There was a young lady sitting opposite me, with beautiful dark skin and pretty eyes, wearing a bowler hat, leopard print jacket, ripped black jeans and heavy black boots. She had earphones on and was looking intently at her tablet.

So I did what any decent person would do in a situation like this: I took out my iPhone, typed I LOVE YOUR STYLE on the screen and showed it to her, just before leaving the train. The way her face lit up erased my bad mood in a flash.

There are very few things that can make you feel so much better with so little effort than complimenting a stranger. It’s even better than receiving compliments yourself and let me tell you, I absolutely love receiving them. You should of course say nice things to people you know, too, but there is a special thrill involved when it’s a stranger. I guess it’s a bit easier for women than it is for men, we can pretty safely compliment whomever we want. There are some general rules I recommend to follow, though:

1. Always, always be sincere. I wonder why people feel the need for fake compliments – there is something wonderful about everyone, just focus on that. If you cannot find anything good in people, you have more serious issues than bad mood.
2. Time your exit well. This is not a problem on the street – you say what you have to say, you move on. It’s more difficult in cafes or, indeed, on public transport. I tend to do my complimenting just before leaving, as it’s a bit awkward to keep sitting close to someone to whom you’ve just told that you adore her lipstick/hair/Totoro back pack. The problem is that your target might leave before you and spoil everything.
3. Do not expect a compliment in return. Seriously, this is important, do not. This should be about you expressing your gratefulness and joy for someone being wonderful and for enriching your day. If they seem to be glad to hear it, great, but nobody is obliged to be grateful in turn.

That said, there is nothing wrong with wearing your hat and leopard print in the hope that for someone, you will make the day that little bit brighter.