How to Take a Compliment

This is an automated transcript and may contain minor errors.

Welcome to another episode of Upbuilding the South. This is Vipin and I'm here with Hari Prasada. I haven't been part of a one on one conversation on our podcast in a while, and I am delighted to be here with you today. Same. I'm so happy. And it's possible that I have never been more enthusiastic about a topic

This is one of the precious jewels. That I have received at up build and specifically from you, which is why I'm so excited to speak with you on this topic. but the topic is how to take a compliment.

it's something that seems so simple, and yet it is so hard. And I'm really looking forward to exploring this with you,

Hari Prasada: Beautiful. I'm super honored and excited.

Really, this is. something that's very close to my heart as well.

Vipin: So let's start with, like we always do, why is this important?

Hari Prasada: Yeah, it's really important to be able to take a compliment because we're longing for validation.

Every single one of us. is longing for validation.

We're all doing everything in this world to try to get it. Why? Because then. We feel we'll be able to prove that we are who we think we should be to ourselves.

this is our definition of the ego at Upbuild, we all have this identity of who we think we should be, our ego. And We're just doing everything in order to prove to ourselves. Yes. I'm that I'm enough. I'm enough. I'm enough Oh, when will I feel like I'm enough

So validation is what every single person is starving for more than anything else.

And love is really where that comes from, In the purest sense, we want to love and be loved,

Vipin: Yeah, that makes a lot of sense I will often describe this as we are putting in all of this effort To be received to be recognized in some way or another, and we're efforting and efforting and efforting. And then when we get that recognition, finally, exactly what we've been wanting, we don't receive it.

We may deflect or downplay or do something to deny the recognition that we've been. Hungering for, thirsting for, and a lot of the satisfaction that we were looking for from all of that effort, we don't receive. And we just then need to go to the next thing. it's so beautifully articulated in the metaphor of a bottomless bag of metals that we're picking up one after the other, after the other, throwing them into our bag, but we're not actually receiving the recognition for all of the What we've put into that, and therefore it leaves us feeling more meaningless, more empty in the process, and we're on that unending treadmill.

Absolutely. And it's amazing because I was just thinking of that exact metaphor. Don Riso and Russ Hudson at the Enneagram Institute who trained us give that and it's such a powerful, vivid understanding of what's going on.

Hari Prasada: The heart is feeling empty and it's longing for validation. Truly it's longing for love, but the validation for our egos is what we're settling for. And then even that we reject. We don't take it in and then we just do more of the same wanting more and more and more and so we're actually making ourselves even hungrier.

We're starving ourselves further.

Vipin: it's complete madness. the other thing I often have the image of the Heisman Trophy statue where the hand is outstretched, denying the compliment, denying the, in the case of the Heisman, it's trying to straight arm another player.

To fend them off. And we're doing the same thing with these, with the praise that we receive, we're chasing so desperately for it. We don't even recognize that. And then when it's there, genuinely there for us, we reject it and just move right on. And so it's crazy. It's really crazy how we operate. So, Hari, why is it, why is taking a compliment such a challenge for so many people?

Hari Prasada: It's very confronting to the ego. The fact that I am chasing after it so desperately is not something I'm willing to admit to the world.

Unless I've done a lot of work on myself and I'm somehow extremely self aware and honest, I won't admit that to the world and I won't even admit it to myself. So when you give me a compliment, it reminds me of my neediness and I do not like that. So there's this sort of like dual reaction that's happening.

And again, this is unconscious. I was going to ask you, do you think people are aware of that? No, that's the problem. If people were aware of it, then it wouldn't be happening the way that it happens typically, So we want to bring awareness to this.

The dual reaction internally is. Oh, it's finally coming. And then I don't need that. I'm good. I'm good. Thank you. But no, thank you. And I'm torn on this because I'm doing everything to get this.

And then when it comes, it reminds me of how desperate it is to be doing everything to get that. So I'm like, Oh, I'm good. Thank you very much. I'm all right, and I'll just pat myself on the back, but that's also not conscious.

Vipin: When I think of what you're describing, when I think of my own responses, when someone were to give me a compliment, I always feel good.

But generally, it's almost like I, I'll take it. But then externally, I might take it and externally, I will brush it off as, you know, not a big deal or it was nothing. But then internally also, I'm realizing I'm not actually taking it. I'm trying to think what exactly is happening. I kind of just, I take it on the surface.

And I, like you said, pat myself on the back. On the back or or just a smile of feeling seen in a certain way, but I don't let it go really penetrate very deeply.

Hari Prasada: Yes, thank you for sharing that. That's really valuable. and I think it's illuminating for many, many people. The other way that this goes is.

I'm not worthy of the compliment and therefore I can't afford to take it and I would rather preserve my guilt so that I can feel like I still have something to live up to that's within my values and that I'm a good enough person. So I'm choosing one form of validation and proving over another that I'm a good enough person.

And because I'm not really worthy of this, I'm going to not take it because I need to be in my integrity. I don't deserve this. Now, the thing is there may be truth to that. but there are different levels of consciousness in which we will take.

a compliment. And so at a higher level of consciousness, I might be aware that actually somebody else deserves more credit than I do. And therefore I will take this stance, but that's not about my ego. What's happening here, what we're talking about at a, an average consciousness, the universal experience is I feel the deflated ego.

I feel not enough. And when somebody gives me a compliment, I can't relate to it. I take what you said, oh, they must be pitying me, or they're seeing it wrongly. And so I just knee jerk reject.

Vipin: And what's the impact of that

Hari Prasada: Yeah. If it's coming from the deflated ego, that means I really, really want it desperately, but I just don't feel good enough about myself. I'm supposed to be good and I'm not.

So I have a self pity that's unconsciously at work here. And it's still all me centered, right? So when I then reject a compliment, I'm denying the reality. It's, this is the same on the inflated ego side as well. That yeah, I really deserve the compliment, but like, I don't need it. Of course I deserve it, but I don't need it,

So the same thing is happening.

But what we're doing is we're denying the reality of the ego's wants and the desperation. And we're also denying the deeper need behind it, which is to love and be loved as we truly are. So on either side, whether we're acting from the side of like, yeah, I am good enough and I don't need this, or I'm not good enough.

So I don't deserve this. It's the same. I am rejecting. The reality I'm denying the reality. I'm being dishonest with myself. I don't know. I'm doing that most of the time. Otherwise, I couldn't do it. Then I would have this sense of, oh, I'm a dishonest person. Generally, people don't like to have that sense.

So I am denying what is actually happening. I'm getting further and further from reality. And then I'm spinning more in this vicious cycle of needing more. And then denying myself the very thing that I need and the hunger is just growing and growing unbeknownst to me.

Vipin: I really like this distinction of the inflated ego response and the deflated ego response.

And how they have different flavors, but they ultimately are converged to the same issues.

Hari Prasada: Yeah, and as I always say, again, the superiority complex is an inferiority complex, just manifesting outwardly very differently. Why would I need to be so heavy on like, I'm so great, I'm so good, yeah, I don't need anything, I'm totally good on my own, I don't need anybody's compliments, if I wasn't fearing it.

what it would mean if I did. I wouldn't have to prove, I wouldn't have to go so heavy on proving I am good, I am enough, if I wasn't feeling the inferiority. And so many times you see the most hyper confident people, they're actually masking their insecurity, they're just doing it very well.

Vipin: Yeah, so let's extend this to the giver.

Well, let me also just say, I used to think the norm was to give someone a compliment for them to say, Oh, no, it was nothing.

And then for both of us to go on our happy way, not a big deal. And that was just the assumed response that I would have that, Oh, people, they don't want to be perceived as. Arrogant or needy or whatever it is and so they say thank you in a small little way and and then move on and I'll move on as well.

What's the impact on the giver?

Hari Prasada: This is something which I have struggled intensely with throughout my life and it's not something which I've stopped struggling with. It's something which has helped me tremendously. To understand and so it's significantly helped with the struggle, but it is one that is very present for me that I have always felt and seen in observing others as well, but definitely being on the side of the giver of a compliment.

I have felt the rejection of connection. That is what's at stake here. So we talked first about the rejection of connection with yourself and reality. Now we're talking about the rejection of connection in relationship to others, which is a big part of that reality. So when somebody doesn't respond, doesn't reciprocate, That's fine.

It's not that anybody is obliged, but there is an effect to it. Just objectively, energetically, you can feel the wall go up and you feel the block in connection, regardless of what the giver does that happens Instantly, and it can have lasting impact.

Vipin: So, the giver of a compliment is reaching out to the person, is making a connection, and that outreach is not being received, is being rejected. I rarely thought about the giving a compliment that way, that I'm potentially even making myself vulnerable by giving By giving the other person a compliment, I, I think of it as just a gift.

And if the person is, maybe that is a helpful way to think about it. What happens when we reject a gift?

Hari Prasada: Yeah, when somebody rejects a gift that they're given, it's painful, especially when it's like, you know, I just don't need this. Thanks. Like, great. I don't need this. Why would you think that I would need this?

That's what I'm feeling. If you think that I need this. Well, that's pretty off base on your part.

Vipin: So what happens? Let's say that's the response between two people.

Hari Prasada: Well, there are many things that happen.

One thing is, and this, if we take this in a work setting, and this can happen between All levels, but if you just think it's very clear, if you think about someone who is reporting in to another person and the boss is giving a compliment and that person is just kind of rebuffing it. What does that do?

That means that actually. They're not able to really take in the vision of this person and the value that this person is trying to share, I see in you. And that is interruptive both for the relationship as well as for that person and their inspiration. So if I'm saying flat out, I'm not going to take your compliment.

That means that I'm not going to take the inspiration of where it came from and where it can lead me toward if I continue to operate in that way, and the point of a compliment is to encourage. It's to encourage your showing up in a wonderful way. And if you keep doing that, wow, what an impact you will have.

That's at least the pure side of it, right? I'm discounting flattery and all kinds of selfish ego motivations that also come with compliments. That's a whole huge subject, which is not the point of what we're discussing. Of course, we don't want to go there.

But when somebody out of the goodness of their heart is pointing something out that they're seeing as true and it's less about them, then we're rejecting the inspiration. And we will feel a starvation in our hearts. We will feel like, ah, but I still long for that inspiration and I long to feel inspired and we'll feel in that relationship that there's not the closeness because if I can't give compliments and I can't be received for them.

I can't express my appreciation and at the ultimate level, I can't express my love. My love is being rejected and in intimate relationships, you'll see this all the time. Do you love me? Do you love me? Do you love me? And then when the love is expressed, It's not taken in and therefore you need more,

And so it creates a distance and a sense of longing for more that is insatiable. And that keeps me just feeling like insecure. And I need more and more and more.

Vipin: I was thinking about, as you were talking, I was thinking about the vulnerability of sharing a compliment with someone. And for some reason, what popped into my head is the most vulnerable it can feel is to tell someone you love them.

And then if that were to be rejected on the other side, That can be a very traumatic experience that feels extremely vulnerable. And then I was thinking, well, but how does giving a compliment relate to expressing that I love someone? Well, depending again, if it's, Oh, it's not about the person, it's the thing that they're doing.

It's non personal. It's just about the work. It can feel a little more distant from that. But as we get closer to what you're describing, which is something that is coming genuinely from my heart and is quite deep that I wanna express to someone, it gets closer and closer to what you're saying. What is a compliment?

It's a validation. What is validation? Validation is love. And so giving someone something that is deeply felt. It gets closer and closer to that feeling of vulnerability that I am putting myself out there wanting to express something that's deeply meaningful to me and Yeah, I wouldn't want to do that again.

It feels like not received

Hari Prasada: There's another dynamic that I want to bring out more clearly. So this is something we've touched upon very loosely, but I want to make it really explicit when someone is rejecting a compliment.

A part of that experience often is if you are giving me the compliment and I'm accepting it, that means you have power over me. That means you are the person who can give me the compliment.

If you're doing it for the motivation of power, then yes, that's true, then we shouldn't do that. But by giving a compliment to somebody, it doesn't intuit that there is a power dynamic.

And also, not all power dynamics are harmful. Parents have power. That is not harmful. Government has power. It's often harmful, but it shouldn't be, because there's a need for that vested power,

we shouldn't be so afraid of power. The reason we are is because it has been misused and abused, We've been burned, we've seen what's happened to other people, and we're so afraid.

Why act on that fear? Do we really want to live our relationships out of that fear? Oh, this person's going to have power over me. Relationships are giving power to other people, whether we like it or not, we're giving them a say in our life. We're giving them a say in our well being and in how we conduct ourselves.

We're giving them a kind of importance that is powerful. The more intimate the relationship, the more power we're giving to the other. Let's do that wisely and consciously and not do it out of fear or fear. be afraid to do it because, oh, someone else will have power. Yes. When somebody gives a powerful compliment to me, they do have a power.

That power is helping me. It's empowering me. And I have experienced that when I have given power to other people, it is the most empowering thing. When I have given power to the relationships in my life, my wife, this team, My guru, it's incredible what happens. That doesn't mean that I don't also have to think for myself and orient it.

And we're not talking about surrendering your intelligence has, or my gurus guru, Shilpa Prabhupada would say, you never surrender your intelligence. That's stupid. Don't do that. What's the point? It won't get you anywhere. It will only get you. to never want to do that again because it is so bad. But power is necessary.

And there's this whole, you know, power over versus power with. Well, power with really means I'm allowing somebody to have power over me, but the right person for the right reason. So when there's purity, that power over is actually what we need. And I will focus this. last thing on the relationship with my guru and I've given him a power that people would be terrified to give and with good reason because there are so many false gurus and there's so many people who just exploit and there's so much abuse.

But when somebody is free of ego, or freeing themselves of ego, and they're very, very sincere, and you can feel their purity, I always say, they don't want something from you, they want something for you. When you can see that consistently, and you can experience the impact of that, and the empowerment that comes from it, if we don't give power to that person, we're robbing ourselves.

We're not robbing the other person because they don't want anything in the first place. We're robbing ourselves

But when you go to somebody who is very sincere and very pure, and you allow them to guide you, then you will see miracles happen.

Transformation cannot happen in a more effective way. It's absolutely impossible. It's never happened beneficially without the power of somebody who can guide you.

Vipin: beautiful. I can relate very much. The whole discussion about power is so helpful. Because I know I've restricted myself from giving a compliment to people in the past because of my own internal dialogue, thinking, who am I to give this compliment?

And I don't want them to think that I think that I'm someone special to be offering this to them. And all of that has shifted for me because I am so much more in touch with my own Need for someone's recognition that I want to offer that myself when you've had an abundance of that and you are the beneficiary of it.

You can't help but wanting to share that with With other people and hope that they can get even a fraction of the receipt of that recognition because of its nourishing quality, especially as we've been talking about when it's actually for the soul, not for the ego. It's for their essence, for their qualities, their character and not for their false ego.

So, Hari, I'd like to shift us to speaking about practical strategies. What's the first step to changing the way we receive a compliment?

Hari Prasada: There are many things that will be extremely helpful in this regard, but the first thing is undoubtedly recognizing that I am seeking validation.

you may think, well, I don't really look for that. That's not true. First thing is get connected with the reality. If you're connected with the reality, you'll see how much you're looking for validation, how desperately you're looking for it, regardless of your personality.

And you will then be able to make choices. That either get you more of that or which steer in a different direction. And there is a certain level of security that's needed. As I mentioned in the beginning. in order to not be so desperate for the validation. So some amount of seeking ego validation may be a part of our journey.

We're not saying that's a good thing, that we want to do that. Please don't misunderstand. We don't want to do that. But if the road to getting free from the ego means that some security is there from having my ego solid enough rather than so fractured and so fragile. Then, okay, but always with the view to go beyond it, always recognizing this is just trying to solidify a phantom.

This isn't who I am, and it's not going to ever be fulfilling. It's always going to leave me feeling empty. So why invest in it? I should always have that sense that, okay, there's a lot of momentum in that direction, so I may not be able to just shift the train in motion.

But I'm gradually shifting, gradually shifting with more and more understanding that this isn't actually fulfilling me and I don't need this. What I need is validation for who I truly am. So then that becomes the next thing.

Vipin: When you recognize the need, as you said in the beginning here of what you were just saying, that you recognize our need for appreciation, then by extension, you're more likely to acknowledge that need with the other person even.

So one of the things that you've modeled so well for me and that I have taken on myself is I see when you receive a compliment when you're receiving appreciation how much you let it affect you you I see you slow down in those moments I see you really take it in and express to the other person what it means What they're saying, and not just in a general way, Oh, that means a lot to me, but specifically you try to convey what that those words, how they're affecting you and the first time that I experienced that on a giving end, as I was giving you some appreciation, I had a different experience as the giver.

I had an experience of, wow, like you just elevated our whole exchange into something much more meaningful. And not only are you telling me what those words have meant to you, now your response is so meaningful to me. And it's like a, yeah, a gift well received is a gift back to the giver, right? What do you say?

The joy is in the gift giving more than the receiving. And when a gift is properly received and accepted, there's tremendous gratitude for the, the giver themselves. And so what I have. really learn this from you and whenever anyone gives me appreciation it's now become so natural for me to really acknowledge and express as genuinely as possible and specifically as possible what that means to me what effort has been put in and how much I need the appreciation or the acknowledgement, not in a desperate way, just in a very honest way.

I was talking in the beginning of this episode about this precious jewel that I have been given, that I've received through you and through UpBuild. And as a result of watching you do that and the others at UpBuild and doing that myself, It has also led to me wanting to give that to everyone else. To give that appreciation and to give this understanding of what we're talking about in this conversation to everyone because it's, it's an incredible gift.

Hari Prasada: So that's so moving. I really am very, very touched. Thank you, Vipin. so once you get the psychological understanding, and I would say even the philosophical understanding behind what's going on with the ego and the self, then there's some very practical things that can help within that framework.

And one of them is acknowledging my need for validation. That how will I know that I'm acting more in line with myself? How will I know that I'm serving and impacting somebody in the way that I'm aspiring to? It has to be reflected back. There has to be that mirroring. There has to be validation. There has to be compliments that are given.

Now, again, validation can come in different forms. You can also observe the impact, and for most of us, we'd rather have that, or at least we convince ourselves we'd rather have that. No, I just see it. I don't need the compliment. But let's be real. When the compliment comes, it affects the heart. Words of Affirmation is one of the five love languages,

There is a way in which words affect the heart. Language affects the heart.

So practically, words of affirmation and acknowledging the need for validation are so important. So I will say, or at least I will say to myself, I don't have to say this aloud. This doesn't have to be like a script. It's not important to make it a script at all. But to myself, I will say yes. I need that validation.

I need to understand. What is the impact and how am I doing in my service to other people So that is really, really critical to admit to myself that I have this need. And then I'm so grateful that That someone is helping to fill that need.

Someone is helping me to see, Oh, I'm doing okay. And when it comes from the ego, when there's that emptiness, that craving of the ego to just fill me up, I also have to be honest about that. And I have to say, you know, I have this ego voice that is like, or I'm very insecure. And the fact that you told me that, thank you.

That's really helpful. And again, where I really want to go with this is in taking it for the self, allowing myself to feel like, wow, it's so wonderful. To get closer to the self and to increase the connection between myself and others. Everything I do can orient in that way and can actually increase my self connection, my connection with others and love.

Michael wrote a reflection, Love in the Workplace, which I really, really appreciate because We've been saying from the beginning of Upbuild, the thing that we need most is love, right? To love and be loved. And yet we have this artificial idea that, well, in the workplace that doesn't apply. We have to be buttoned up, we have to be emotionless, or at least just like fixed on the goal and really good and performative.

No, everybody is seeking love and compliments are a currency of that love. Let us stop this madness of blocking ourselves in our relationships. Let's see the reality and orient towards who we really are and help each other, encourage each other with that affirmation.

Vipin: I want to also mention that on the giving side, what can be done here.

And one of the things. That I have tried to do recognizing everything we've been talking about that are challenges for a receiver of a compliment as a giver to actually slow the other person down when I share something, something, some important appreciation to someone and I sense. The speed, the deflection, the downplaying, the rejection, even.

You can't obviously force someone to take a compliment. That is, their free will. And at the same time, because so much of it can be an automated reaction, what I find really helpful is just to slow down that process and let the person know, hey, I really want to make sure you're receiving this because This is really important to me.

I'm seeing something and I know how easy it is to just brush it off or brush it away. And please take this in. And yeah, I find even just A slight pause in that process gives the person a chance to reflect a bit more than what might be an automated response and also for them to feel the genuineness in the expression in my expression to them at.

So. It may be steps along the way of fully taking it in, but it's to me it does a few things. It actually has more chance of creating some receptivity where they may not have been some. It also conveys to them. The meaning that's coming from the giver and that's really important because again, in our fast paced world, especially in a working context, we're just quick and just moving on to the next thing.

But slowing that down and letting them know that this is. This is not just a piece of candy that's being thrown at them, that there's something here that is really meaningful from the giver. And then the third thing is what we talked about before around connection slowing that down and establishing more of a connection with the person.

So those, again, that very practical strategy for when I give a compliment has been also, I would say, It completely changed my experience. Of this and has also made me want to find any opportunity I can when I see something that deserves to be appreciated. I want to appreciate it and I want to help that appreciation go in.

Hari Prasada: And it's been, yeah, I couldn't be more enthusiastic about this topic because we're all running around needing appreciation so badly and yet we're not taking it when it's given to us. So, Maybe we would be able to operate with so much more security and groundedness if we learned how to take a compliment and even how to give one.Yeah, I so appreciate all of that and I was just thinking how Everybody feels underappreciated, right? Like this is the irony. I feel underappreciated, but I don't need the appreciation. How does that make any sense? If we just stop and we introspect, we'll see this dynamic. It doesn't make sense.

So the other side of this is, you know, I'm afraid of getting puffed up and I'm afraid of puffing somebody else up. Good. We should be afraid of that. We should be afraid of not being humble. The real self is completely humble. So when we get compliments and then we let them feed our egos, that's actually getting us away.

It's covering the self. So what do we do? We say, again, humbly acknowledge that the encouragement is so helpful. And I haven't learned or done anything on my own ever in my life.

Everything has always been by the grace of others and especially those who are guiding us to become the real self. If we're on a spiritual path, this applies infinitely more. But this applies to every single person regardless that I have been given everything. I have been given everything. There's not one thing that I just did for myself.

I can't even breathe on my own or digest food on my own. Everything has been given to me and I take it all for granted. So, being conscious, the Sanskrit word for gratitude I've mentioned before is krita nya. It means knowing what's been done. Kryta being the past tense for to do and nya being knowing. So knowing what's been done is gratitude.

And then you cannot be egoic, you cannot be arrogant or falsely proud. You can only say it's a credit to my teachers. It's a credit to the people that have invested in me. So why should I be shy to accept a compliment? When that's actually a reflection on them and the fact that I'm trying to make them proud and I'm trying to make good on what they're giving me.

That would be rejecting their gifts. If I rejected the compliment, I wouldn't just be rejecting the other person who's giving the compliment. I'd be rejecting all the people that have invested in me and are continuing to be invested in me. That's the level of rejection that's happening. So when I take the compliment, I think, Oh, I hope I'm making my guru proud.

I hope that I'm better serving this upbuild team and this mission. And I hope I'm better serving the people that are dear to me in my life. If my wife tells me something wonderful about me, I will say, God, I'm trying. I really pray that it's having that effect on you. Thank you. It's really good to know.

It's really good to know. It fills me up to know that I'm able to have that impact on you. It's by the grace of other people. You're inspiring me to give to you. And other people are inspiring me to transform and to be my best. So they get all the credit. My only credit is my sincerity. And that's not something to be proud of.

That's something to be grateful for. The only thing that I deserve credit for is the fact that I sincerely want to become my best. And that's all that I need. I don't need credit for anything else.

Vipin: When one has such a consciousness, then the fear about taking a compliment goes away completely. And the desire to give and receive just grows

Hari Prasada: exponentially.

Exactly. And you'll see the taking of compliments at different levels of consciousness, just like what we're talking about. And even the same words can have a dramatically different impact. Before we recorded, I was giving the example of Bala Krishna, who's part of our team volunteers with us and does such selfless service, such an amazing, soul.

And he will say the same thing that many people say, Oh, it was nothing. You know, or I didn't do much or somebody else who really did, but the consciousness behind it is so pure that it he's never rejecting. You never feel the diminishing of the relationship or the connection. You never feel a wall going up.

You always feel a humble, beautiful spirit of appreciation of gratitude for the person giving the compliment and for the other people who he's deflecting to because he's seeing them. He's seeing them with that vision, and he's wanting to give credit, and he also appreciates the encouragement. He's not like, no, no, no, don't do that, don't do that.

Maybe sometimes there's something of that, but it's not an egoic thing. It's like, I'm just, doing what I love to do. I'm just doing what I love to do. And the fact that you're sharing this with me, that says more about you than about me. That's your goodness. That's how he says it. So the consciousness is everything.

It's not about

Vipin: the words. Hari, thank you for Being my teacher with this and so many other things, and for sharing your wisdom on this topic. I have received this gift and I hope in this conversation, we're sharing it with many more people. My ask. If you're listening to this, my request to you is to actually do this.

The next time you receive appreciation, let the person who's appreciating you know what it means to you. Find an opportunity to do that genuinely and express At least once on the back of listening to this express what it means to you to receive that appreciation and on the giving side, find an opportunity to appreciate someone in your life.

Whether it's something they're specifically doing in that moment or overarchingly, and ex, go express that with a genuine heartfelt emotion and slow down in the process and make sure that they are able to receive the best that they can. And I, I want everyone to do this because I think it's only the experience.

a changed experience that will give you the momentum to do that more and more and more on both sides.

Hari Prasada: And for that, you have to allow your heart to be unblocked, and you have to allow your heart to be affected both as the giver and the receiver.

Otherwise, this is all theoretical. It's all just going through the motions. It's mechanical. So we have to unblock our hearts. And I'm very grateful for your kindness to me, Vipin, and your encouragement of me. I really feel so inspired, and I do feel touched again by your words. I really cherish being able to try to represent my guru and try to offer to others what he has offered to me and what I've received and it's the greatest gift.

and just seeing your own trajectory and the transformation that you've undergone, including through this one angle, because this is a great litmus test for our overarching spiritual journey to the self. I have seen the difference between how you take a compliment.

You know, 10 years ago versus today. And I feel the increasing level of connection and love in that.

Thank you. That's a direct result of the association of very high minded, high consciousness people.

So I am grateful to you.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.