“If you and I are having a single thought of violence or hatred againstanyone in the world at this moment, we are contributing to the wounding of the world…” —Deepak Chopra
Okay, so you might have a hard time believing that your hatred is harming people in Australia, but there is one sad truth you about it—your hatred is probably hurting you.
Do you find yourself hating people?
Maybe your stepsister ruined your birthday dinner; your best friend kissed your lover; and the guy you eat lunch with every day sneaked behind your back to get the promotion you were next in line for.
A few months go by, and you think you’re over it until BAM! There he is, standing in line behind you as you pay for your caramel macchiato. You want to run out the door and accidentally spill your hot coffee on him. You pretend you don’t see him, and then make a beeline for the closest exit.
What’s next? You’re left with your gut-wrenching, heart-pounding self.
Someone did something sneaky, nasty or mean to you, and now you hate him for it. You’re absolutely right. What they did was wrong but hating is bad for you. It’s unhealthy and you can’t be happy until you trash it (your hatred, not the other person’s car).
People hurt you. It’s a fact of life. Whether intentional or unintentional, the pain remains. Usually that hurt turns into hate. Here are some reasons to stop hating and start loving.
1. When you hate someone else, you hate yourself
by allowing this demon to live inside you. How long do you want to hold onto that uncomfortable feeling?
2. To love again, you’ve got to forgive.
If you don’t, you live imprisoned in the past unable to enjoy the present. You destroy your chances for another romance, your next promotion, and a peaceful family dinner.
3. Loathing others makes you feel like an evil person.
Ironically, if you hang on to hatred, you begin to feel like the wrongdoer. Before you know it you’re breathing fire instead of words, your fangs are showing, your claws come out, and your face contorts into twisted shapes. Who’s evil now?
4. Hatred is a personal problem that becomes a global crisis.
Imagine if everyone held onto to his hatred, how much collective hatred there would be in the world.
3. Learning to love someone you hate is a true test of character.
Show yourself just how great you really are!
How to Love People You Hate
1. Look for the lesson.
Each hurtful event has a powerful lesson to teach you.
2. Practice forgiveness.
Release the pain of the past. Open your heart and learn to love again.
3. Love yourself more than you hate others.
Instead of focusing on how angry, hurt, and resentful you are, take a pause, then realize how you are harming yourself by letting these negative emotions live inside you.
Loving someone you hate is probably one of the hardest things to do.
But when you face the facts, there are no good reasons to keep that nasty feeling inside you, and too many good reasons to give it up. Believe in yourself; you can do it. Lying dormant inside you is an undiscovered superpower to accomplish this true test of character.
Only when you become free of this burden, can you start to live a happier life.
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” —Martin Luther King, Jr.
