#142: Building Connection in Lonely Times
Celine McGee and The Compliment Squad
If you’ve ever wondered, “Is it too late for me to...” the answer’s NO—and The Uplifters are about to show you why. This space is for purpose-driven women who want to do big, brave things in the second half of their lives. I’m your host, Aransas Savas, and I’ve spent the last 20 years at the intersection of behavior change research and coaching.
This month, we’re spotlighting midlife female founders: Rachel Giordano, Tara Miko Ballentine of Bright Littles, Kimberle Lau of Bake Me Healthy, Gita Vellanki of Neeshi, and now we round out the year with the inspiring story of Celine McGee and The Compliment Squad. We’ll kick off the new year with a bang with the story of Sahar Delijani! Welcome to the Uplifters!
Listen to this episode if...
You’ve been wanting to connect with other humans but feel awkward about it
You’re lonely
You’re looking for a simple way to build courage capital
I was running through my neighborhood the other day when a man I didn’t know pumped his fists in the air and called out from his porch: “Good job, kid. Keep going.” The fists were the first thing that registered and the “stranger danger” part of my brain kicked in. My body tensed and went into high alert. But, then his words reached me. A big smile spread across my face as I waved back at him. My feet moved a little faster, not to escape a threat, but because my wenergy was bouyed by his encouragement.
We’re living through what researchers are calling a loneliness epidemic. Despite being more “connected” than ever through our devices, genuine human interaction feels increasingly rare. We pass hundreds of people on our city streets, make eye contact with maybe a handful, and actually speak to almost none of them. We’ve somehow collectively agreed that talking to strangers is awkward at best, dangerous at worst.
But what if that’s exactly backward? What if the antidote to our isolation isn’t found in another app or algorithm, but in something as simple as looking someone in the eye and telling them their shoes are cool?
Celine McGee never set out to start a movement. She was just walking through her Philadelphia neighborhood with a friend, engaged in what she calls “healthy socializing” (connecting over movement instead of drinks), when they passed a woman whose entire vibe was striking. Not just her outfit, but how she carried herself, how she’d put everything together.
“I thought, oh wow, it would be very cool if we complimented her,” Celine remembers. So she did. And the woman lit up.
That simple moment, over a decade ago, planted a seed. Celine started thinking about how she could do more of this, and how she could give people something tangible to take with them and hopefully pass forward. Enter the Compliment Squad. Celine approaches strangers in public spaces, offers them genuine compliments, and hands them cards that say “pass it on.”
By day, Celine works as a procurement specialist in the telecom industry, navigating the complex world of tariffs and vendor relationships. But in her free time, she’s a complimenter, who has managed the initial fear (what if they think I’m weird?), the worry about making someone uncomfortable, and the very real vulnerability of putting yourself out there with zero guarantee of how it will be received.
Celine’s demanding corporate job can drain her reserves, especially during high-pressure periods. So in this episode, we talk about what it takes to keep showing up for something you believe in when your day job demands so much, how to enlist others to help amplify your mission without burning out, and why sometimes the bravest thing we can do is simply say what we notice about another person.
5 Ways Celine Shows Us How to Build Our Courage Capital:
Start with what’s already working: Celine didn’t invent compliments. She simply noticed what felt good and did more of it.
Give yourself permission to be imperfect: “Even if you say it wrong, as long as you say it, the person still receives it well,” Celine reminds us. She’s stumbled over her words, blurted out the wrong thing, and recovered mid-sentence countless times. The willingness to be awkward is often the price of expansion.
Design for quick exits (theirs and yours): By keeping her compliment interactions deliberately short unless the other person wants to extend them, Celine has removed one of the biggest barriers to approaching strangers. You’re not committing to a long conversation; you’re offering a moment that they can receive however works for them.
Recruit amplifiers when you hit your limits: When Celine realized her demanding corporate job was limiting how much she could personally do, she started thinking about walking groups and other communities who could help spread the mission. You don’t have to do everything yourself; you just have to be willing to invite others to participate in what matters to you.
Remember her friend Katie’s wisdom: “If you haven’t been punched in the face, you’re fine.” Most of our fears about approaching strangers are wildly overblown. Celine has given thousands of compliments and has never once been punched in the face. The worst that happens? Someone looks at you funny and you keep walking. That’s a risk most of us can afford to take.
Lift Her Up
Want to join the Compliment Squad? Follow Celine’s journey and get inspired to spread kindness in your own community on Instagram at @complimentsquad.
If you loved this story...
Start with Gina Hamadey’s episode HERE about the power of showing gratitude to others. (Side note: Gina has a new novel coming out and I’m so excited for it!) Then check out Catherine McKenzie of Cat's Corner’s episode HERE about building connection and leading with kindness in high-pressure environments, then explore Jessica Varian Carroll’s episode HERE about asking for help and building community, and Lovisa Brown’s episode HERE about creating brave spaces where everyone feels acknowledged and seen.
When was the last time you paid a random stranger a compliment? What happened?