A friend says your hair looks lovely, and before you can stop yourself, you reply that it has not been washed in two days. Nobody asked for that confession, and yet most of us reach for a small correction, a joke or a deflection, almost on instinct, when someone says something kind. It looks like modesty, but the discomfort underneath usually has more specific reasons. In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Chandni Tugnait, MD, psychotherapist, life alchemist, coach and healer, founder and director of Gateway of Healing, decoded the psychology behind it.
Being noticed feels exposing
According to Dr Chandni, a compliment pulls a spotlight onto you, even if only for a second. Being seen, even in a flattering way, means being looked at and quietly assessed. For anyone who prefers to stay low key, that attention can feel less like a gift and more like standing in a room with the lights suddenly turned on. That is why the blush, the laugh, and the quick change of subject show up so fast; they are small ways of stepping out of the spotlight.
