7 Empowering Reasons To Love Your Enemies
Though we encounter disagreement, fights, and enemies from time to time, we can rise above hate and choose love instead.
Below you’ll find some compelling reasons to love your enemies.
At some point, we’ve all had at least one enemy or at the very least, a “frenemy.”
You smile when you are around them.
As much as possible, when you interact with them, you are respectful but curt.
Once you are out of their presence, you scream or curse or throw things, letting all your hate loose.
Well, while I completely understand these reactions.
There are some good reasons to focus on love over hate.
Focusing on love versus hate can be quite empowering, and below are seven (7) supporting ideas.
For more inspiration, we also have a collection of compassionate empathy quotes as well as a list of deep love quotes.
Be sure to read them as well.
Why you should love your enemies
1.) Energy Saver
Acting out of love is a joyful and calming state.
On the contrary, when we operate out of hate, it takes a great deal of energy.
Think about it: screaming, cursing, plotting, throwing things, etc.
etc.
takes a lot of energy and burns a lot of power.
Loving your enemy restores and conserves your energy and your strength.
So, why hate when you can get so much more out of love.
2.) Anger Management
Anger is a troubling state of being.
I’ve read that anger can result in actual physical and emotional issues ranging from an increased risk for heart disease to fueling depression, worry, and anxiety.
These are all issues that make us weak in one way or another.
Therefore, releasing anger by loving your enemies instead of hating them can be empowering by reducing these issues.
3.) Self-Control
Similar to anger management, self-restraint and discipline are safeguards that you can use to avoid volatile situations, which can cause physical, emotional, and legal harm.
When you focus on hating or hurting your enemies, you can put your well-being and the well-being of others at risk.
You may have seen stories and reality shows where anger and hate led to a lack of self-control and an act of revenge which resulted in significant physical harm, destruction of property, dismantling of reputations and character, as well as financial loss.
If you show some self-control and love instead of seeking revenge, you will avoid situations and circumstances that bring you down instead of lifting us.
4.) You May Need An Ally
You likely have all had instances when you needed help from someone.
Networking is a critical activity in life today.
In business and personal situations, sometimes you need a connection to open the door to the opportunity you’ve set your sights on.
Your friends or friendly colleagues and acquaintance are not always the contacts who hold the key you need.
There are times when it’s likely an enemy that can connect you or introduce you to those with the power to help you.
So, you should love your enemies and use their influence to gain entrance to the place you’ve envisioned.
5.) Their Motivation May Be Misguided
Misunderstandings lead to broken relationships.
If you trace the steps and activities that occurred before you defined someone as our enemy, you may find that there is no real hate between the parties.
Sometimes the perception of hostility was created by gossip, doubt, and insecurity.
Taking some time to dig beneath the surface can unearth the truth that the hate is entirely misguided.
So, what you think is hate is a defense mechanism because the other party feels that they are protecting themselves.
If you operate in love by taking the time to review the root cause of an adversarial relationship, you might find that you have the power to heal and strengthen yourselves and those around you.
6.) Healthy Competition
Challenges inspire us to excel.
Competition and rivalry have been at the heart of the plot for many successful movies and television shows.
Healthy competition motivates us to be the best we can be.
The success of an enemy can act as an encouragement to drive us to our greatest achievement.
You may procrastinate or settle for less than you can have until you see the accomplishments of someone you think challenged you.
This healthy competition can spur you and empower you to forge ahead, overcoming obstacles and reach for the moon.
Responding in love instead of trying to place barriers in your enemy’s path or harm allows you to give them their credit and use their success as your motivation to bring your dreams to reality.
7.) Peace and Compassion are Powerful
The elements of compassion – care, understanding, and concern – are calming factors that can free us from disturbance.
When you encounter hate or spite you may be inclined to respond in a like manner.
But, doing so will not resolve the situation, and you know anger, resentment and lack of self-control can cause physical and emotional harm.
On the other hand, peace and compassion strengthen you allowing you to calmly walk away from conflict and empower you to take control to prevent escalation and avoid hurt or harm to you and others.
Love is Powerful
You will encounter disagreement, fights, and enemies from time to time.
How you choose to respond can empower you or entangle you.
If you decide to respond in like to hate and hurt you are likely to have more of the same heaped on you.
But, if you respond lovingly, you can empower yourselves and others to rise above the battle, improving your situation, uplifting your relationships and empowering yourselves.
