Compliments

I'm not one for taking compliments very well. Usually physically withdrawing into myself and denying what the person has said. It has been something I've worked on for years and it's not easy to believe they speak the truth when one does not believe it about themselves.
Lately I have been receiving many compliments. At the beginning I put them down as I honestly did not believe it coz how could it be I had not worked hard enough to warrant such praise.
But yesterday a compliment from a complete stranger, well it's the lady at the vet reception who we've seen now and then over a few years, gave me a compliment about having lost so much weight. I said thank you without putting it down but I so wish I could have made her feel better about herself as she immediately put herself down. I have always thought she is beautiful yet I've never said it. And saying it immediately following her compliment would have just looked like a meaningless payback.
We really don't compliment each other enough. We are so afraid of giving and receiving compliments one could swear it's a sin. Why is that? I can only imagine it would make this horrible world a better place.
I have on rare occasion gone up to a complete stranger and paid them a compliment but then profusely apologise and literally scurry away. I could see it made their day and I would get all warm and fuzzy feelings inside. So one wonders why if the reward is so great we don't want to do it more. We sure as hell commit easily to bad habits that feel good.
Anyways, it was yet another lesson and reminder to up my game of giving and receiving compliments.