A heartfelt compliment can brighten someone's week, not just their day, says poll

A genuine and heartfelt compliment can improve someone’s entire week – not just their day, according to research.

A poll of 2,000 adults found 68 per cent believe sincere and kind words have the power to turn a bad week into a good one, and 83 per cent believe authentic compliments are more important than ever.

And 74 per cent think a simple compliment carries more weight than being lavished with excessive acclaim.

Nearly half (48 per cent) value praise more from friends, compared to 42 per cent who enjoy positive affirmations from romantic partners.

However, of the women polled, 17 per cent trust compliments from other women more because they feel more authentic (66 per cent) and heartfelt (43 per cent).

Whereas, compared to compliments from a partner, many of these claims are expected (41 per cent) or come with an ulterior motive (19 per cent).