I totally love it when people I don’t know compliment me in the gym. I can remember interesting conversations I’ve had with strangers, going back years, started by them approaching me with a compliment.
Thinking about this: confidence has a lot to do with how it works. I exude confidence, so people, guys particularly, instinctively understand that I won’t take offense when they compliment me.
And I compliment liberally, any gender. An open, confident smile and a compliment, in passing, with no obvious intent to stop and follow up, is…well, complimentary.
If someone looks closed and vulnerable or preoccupied then I would not intrude on their space. But otherwise… why not give someone some happy vibes with an honest connection?