Have you ever thought that you hate your enemies? We all have enemies; people who take pleasure in causing us pain and misery.  Sometimes the development of an enemy is due to certain differences and in lived experiences. Other times, some people end up hating others even though you have no reason to.

Regardless of how you obtained your enemies, unlike the paradigm of fighting fire with fire, consider the following reasons and see why you should love (or at least appreciate) your enemies. You’ll be surprised…

You will learn to control anger

Your enemies can help you to be able to control your anger. When it might be true that your enemies have a way of bringing out the worst in you when it comes to anger, it is also true that they can help you in your inner quest for anger management. You cannot truly get angry with someone you love and only in that moment when you get angry will you really learn to handle it.

Anger management is most effective when you put it into practice and not just with the theory you already know. Your enemies are like your therapists in action. To the extent that you want to hate them, they give you the opportunity to control the impulse of anger that you have.

Opportunity for healthy competition

You may not know it, but your enemies are great rivals as they help to dominate your inner competitor (sometimes, you may not even know or be familiar with this competitive side until you meet an adversary). You get the right motivation to compete and this can go a long way in leading you to victory.

When you compete with others you should not become a bad version of yourself, you will have to work to compete with your opponent and make sure that you do not cause him harm just because you feel anger. Healthy competition is what you need to feel good about yourself.

Your negative comments can be constructive

It’s true that your enemies never have much good to say about you. However, to the extent that they might be speaking through their hatred of you, there might be some truth to what they are saying … But you have to be honest with yourself to find that out. Anytime you hear something bad or unpleasant from an enemy, you may want to step back and evaluate yourself.

There is a chance that what this enemy is saying is true and facing that fact is an important step in helping you become a better person and a better version of yourself. 

It gives you the opportunity to work positively

In a multitude of negativity that emerges from your relationship, a speck of positivity always seems to find its way if you let it. Sometimes knowing the fact that you have enemies will also help you focus on the many positives in your life. Many times, we neglect what really matters around us.  This may be because you spend too much time thinking about your enemies, they do not deserve your time or being in your thoughts .

You need to step back and contemplate all the good things that you have in your life that are worth your full attention.

You appreciate love more

Love and hate are two opposite emotions, and one may momentarily overlap the other. However, while you will always have enemies, there will always be people who will love you. These people should be appreciated for what they do for you. Never let the hatred projected towards you by your enemies take the place of that … Power all your energy in projecting love to those who deserve it, hatred will only wear you out.

You don’t need hate to be happy

Enemies will only bring you toxic emotions and bad reactions on your part. If you want to live a calm and happy life, leave that backpack of hatred behind, let it get out of your life. Your enemies do not have to be part of you or your environment. Hating is bad for you and you have to try your best to get rid of it.