LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO HATE ANYONE

Hey, i did this for my public speaking competition in Form 5 and got first place. I like reading it over and over. I chose this topic for public speaking cuz when I talk to people, I wanna make sure they're listening and i found that this topic is suitable for everyone, boys, girls, students, teachers, adults, kids, so yeah enjoy reading!!!:):) PS: it was suppose to be in the school magazine for 2010 but someone forgot to publish it..haha nevermind. The whole school already heard me presenting it during assembly.

LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO HATE ANYONE

By: Nurulyasameen Hajibeigy

5 Maju

“Holding a grudge against someone is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.” When you react to negativity, the only person you hurt is yourself… A very good afternoon to our panel of judges, teachers and beloved friends. My name is Nurulyasameen Hajibeigy from 5 Maju and today I would like to present a speech entitled “Life Is Too Short To Hate Anyone.”

Can you recall the last time you had to deal with a negative or difficult person? Or the last time someone said something with the intention of hurting you? How did you handle it? What was the result? What can you do in the future to get through these situations with peace and grace? No matter where you go, you will face people who are negative, people who oppose our ideas or people who simply do not like you. There are billions of people out there and conflict is a fact of life whether you like it or not. Here are some tips for dealing with a difficult person or a negative message.

First and foremost, express it. Do not keep it to yourself. Let it out by dumping all the random and negative thoughts out of you by writing freely without editing. Continue to do so until you have nothing else to say. Then roll the paper up into a ball, close your eyes and visualize that all the negative energy is now inside that paper ball. Toss the paper ball into the dustbin and let it go!

Secondly, do not respond. Quite often when a person initiates a negative message or difficult attitude, he or she is trying to trigger a response from you. When you react, you are actually giving them what they want. Sometimes I feel compelled to instantly send an email defending myself. I have learned that emotionally charged emails never get us the result you want; they only add oil to the fire. What is helpful is inserting time to allow ourselves to cool down. You can write the emotionally charged email to the person, just don’t send it off. Wait until you have cooled down before responding, if you choose to respond at all. Let’s stop the cycle of negative snowballing and sell them short on what they are looking for. Conclusion, do not bother responding.

Thirdly, stop talking about it. When you have a problem or a conflict in your life, don’t you find that people just love talking about it? You end up repeating the story to anyone who will listen. You express how much you hate the situation or person. What you fail to recognize in these moments is that the more you talk about something, the more of that thing you will notice. Example, the more you talk about how much you dislike a person, the more hate you will feel towards them and the more you will notice things about them that you dislike. Stop giving it energy, stop thinking about it, and stop talking about it. Do your best to not repeat the story to others.

Fourthly, pour honey. This doesn’t always work but sometimes it catches people off guard when they are trying to pour poison on you. Compliment the other person for something they did youll, tell them you have learned something new through interacting with them and maybe even offer to be friends. Say hi when you see them but remember to be genuine. You may have to dig deep down to find something you appreciate about this person.

Last but not least, try to be in their shoes. As cliché as this may sound, you tend to forget that you become blind-sided in the situation. Try putting yourself in their position and consider how you may have hurt their feelings. You never know when their acting towards you is a result of your own actions toward them. This understanding will give you a new perspective on becoming rational again, and may help you develop compassion for the other person.

Finally, time will tell. You have done your part and that is all you have to worry about. Whatever happens, let it be and remember that hardship will always be granted with happiness! One more thing, always forgive your enemies because nothing annoys them more than that.