header print

8 Reasons to Love Your Enemy

Each of us has "enemies" in life; People who seem to enjoy causing hurt, suffering and misery. Sometimes we create enemies because of differences in personality and sometimes it happens because people hate us for no apparent reason.

 

The truth is that it doesn’t matter why you have an "enemy", the attempt to fight fire with fire is bound to fail and, in fact, there are 8 reasons why enemies may be a positive factor in your life. When you understand these reasons you can develop a mutual understanding or at least understanding on your part, which will help you develop better relationships instead of continuing the cycle of hatred and anger.

8 reasons to love your enemy

1. You get a free lesson in how to restrain yourself and avoid anger

If we’re being honest, our enemies are the best people to teach us self-restraint and anger-management. While it’s true that our "enemies" have ways of riling us up, this is exactly what can help us deal with this negative emotion better. After all, we can’t be forever angry at people who are important to us and that we want to love, and often the feelings of anger we experience because of them leave us feeling guilty.

To do this in the most efficient way, try to understand what is bothering you about your "enemy’s" attitude toward you, and once you understand it consciously, you’ll be able to deal with the anger in a better and healthier way. Think of your "enemies" as therapists who help you deal with the negative emotions you don’t want to deal with, or can’t deal with alone.

2. This is an opportunity for healthy competition

You may not see it this way now, but your "enemies" seem to think of you as competitors and if you are in a situation where you have to compete with one another, they can encourage you to feel competitive. However, it is important that you remember not to become ruder and cruder versions of yourselves to enter the competition; don’t harm yourself or others, and don’t let your morale get hurt in the process. If you see your relationship as a "competition" rather than a "rivalry", it can help reduce anger or even teach you how to deal with it better.

8 reasons to love your enemy

3. Their negative comments can help you grow

Your "enemies" probably don’t have many good things to say about you, and they might even only say bad things about you. However, even if they speak out of a place of hatred, there may be some truth in their words. Whenever you hear something unpleasant from one of your "enemies," take a step back and try to evaluate yourself. There is a chance that your "enemy" is saying something true at its core, but in the wrong way, and if you understand what it is they are trying to say, make a significant step in your personal growth and try to change.

4. Your "enemies" can be your best allies

If you decide to love your "enemies", you will take the first step in developing a healthier and more peaceful relationship with them. Our "enemies" don’t always want to intentionally hurt us, and sometimes they only feel hurt by us. Ultimately, if you can build a healthy relationship by overcoming the gaps between the both of you, you’ll make a friend instead of an enemy, and we all need friends in our lives. This approach will help you in the long run, and will provide you peace of mind, as long as you can develop a cordial relationship between you and them – the barrier to this is mostly in your head.

8 reasons to love your enemy

5. You’ll have the ability to look at life in a more positive way

When we are preoccupied with our "enemies" and how they hurt us, it is very difficult for us to change our thoughts and make them positive even in cases unrelated to them. However, if you accept your "enemies" and understand that each of us has such people in our lives, you will also stop worrying about them and ease the negative thoughts that flood your head. If you take another step forward and cultivate feelings of love for your "enemies," you will learn how to think about anything angry or frustrating that happens to you in a more positive way, and ultimately that affects how the experience will be interpreted in your mind – either as good or bad.

 

6. You may realize that the hatred is simply a misunderstanding 

Sometimes we create enemies simply because of a small misunderstanding. It is very difficult to see this once it happens, but a small misunderstanding can put a strain on any relationship, and if it is a relationship with an enemy, it’ll only make the strain bigger. If you try to create a calm dialogue between you both and find out the cause of the fracture that has been created, you will understand how to fix it and your relationship. Misunderstandings happen from time to time, and you have to develop the ability to solve them in time.

8 reasons to love your enemy

7. Learn how to truly appreciate love

A constant reminder that you have "enemies" in life can help you relate to people who love you in the way they deserve. Love and hate are not necessarily opposite feelings. In fact, it may be argued that the opposite of both is indifference. Therefore, in any relationship in which love exists, momentary or continuous hatred can arise, and if this happens, it usually shows that there is indeed a great love hidden deep within.
However, while you will always have "enemies" of some kind, there will always be people who love you. Remember this, because these people are the ones who deserve your love back. Never let your hatred of your "enemies" affect your relationship with the people who love you, and if you give up on it and learn to love those "enemies," you can show more love to the people who are dear to you.

8. Understand that you don’t really need the hate

Our "enemies" inject a poison into our lives that slowly permeates our reactions to other people. If you want to avoid this, you need to understand that you don’t have to carry the weight of hatred on your back. It is known that no one goes far in life through hate, on the contrary, it can even lead to inaction, while love leads us to try to progress and improve all the time. As you embark on the journey of life, pack a light case of love in your suitcase instead of a heavy case of hatred – it’ll make the trip a lot easier.
Next Post
Sign Up for Free Daily Posts!
Did you mean:
Continue With: Facebook Google
By continuing, you agree to our T&C and Privacy Policy
Sign Up for Free Daily Posts!
Did you mean:
Continue With: Facebook Google
By continuing, you agree to our T&C and Privacy Policy