I'm horrible at accepting compliments. I still remember a painful conversation from college that was only painful because I made it so. I had been financial director for an organization that had done exceedingly well under my leadership (if I do toot my own horn). A fellow exec member said just as much to me, and I replied, "Thanks. I don't do that much. I just..." Crap, I should stop talking, but I had already begun the sentence; I needed to finish it. "It's just going to the bank and doing numbers. And - " Crap again, I had started a new sentence; I needed to finish this one, too. "And I feel awkward. I should stop talking."

My friend looked at me. "You could have just said thank you."

I could have, I thought. But I didn't.