I’ve been thinking a lot about hate as we celebrated Martin Luther King Jr day this week. Does hate effect our mental health and wellbeing? Are there different types of hate? Can we overcome hate?
I’ve been sick all week and I HATE being sick. I hate the cold virus that has infected my body. I hate having no energy, the headaches, the congestion, and my sore, raw nose from all the Kleenex. After a few days of thinking about how much I HATED being sick, I realized something…all that hate was simply making me feel worse. I was already sick. I was already dealing with the physical effects of a cold. I was making it worse by hating the cold. So, after a few days, I decided to shift that. Every time I started to think how much I hated being sick, I switched the thought to gratefulness that my body is strong enough to fight a cold. That I’ve been given a chance to slow down and take time for myself. I have a reason to bum around the house and catch up on reading and tv shows. Guess what? I started feeling better. Was the cold still there? Yep. But something had shifted, and the cold became nothing but a nuisance. Yes, this is a pretty simple and possibly silly example of hate, but do you see the point?
Outward Hatred
When we allow hate to have a place in our lives, we are
ultimately hurting ourselves. Hatred towards others is living in blame and victimhood.
Yes, people can do terrible hurtful things to us. If someone hurts me and I begin
hating them, I’m blaming them for my pain and continuing to live as a victim. Hatred
creates bitterness. Bitterness is a destructive emotion. It poisons you. It
doesn’t poison the other person. You are the one that continues to live with
the festering poison. And this poison can cause destruction in multiple areas. It
can contribute to physical ailments. It can cause destruction in your relationships.
It can cause issues in your work. Hatred
and bitterness are far too destructive to hold on to.
Self-Hatred
Hatred towards something or someone is devastating, but what about self-hatred? Self-hatred can be a symptom of a mental illness or low self-esteem. Those that struggle with self-hatred are not able to see any positive things about themselves. They are very adept at turning any positive traits into something negative. This can then lead to incredibly destructive behaviors. Some of these behaviors include self-harm, cutting, suicide attempts, risky sexual behaviors, substance abuse, or overeating. People struggling with self-hatred carry intense feelings of blame, shame, bitterness, anger, vitriol, and disgust towards themselves.
If you are struggling with hatred turned outward or if you are struggling with self-hatred, there is good news. Hatred can be overcome. You can live in freedom. You no longer need to live as a victim. It is your choice to live as a victim or to walk it freedom and victory every single day.
In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, I would encourage you to meditate on these two quotes:
“I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.” -Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
“Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it.” -Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Check back soon for practical steps to overcome hatred.
I’d love to hear from you. Please feel free to comment below.
To Health, Hope and Healing,
Krista
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