In a time of such hostile political and social climates, it is important to remember that despite all of our differences and problems, hate will not solve anything.

The majority of problems arise when people become self-infatuated, so concerned with their own gains and troubles that they will hurt others while trying to achieve what they believe they deserve or merely what they want. 

The seven deadly sins are pride, envy, gluttony, lust, anger, greed and sloth. They are well known from both biblical tales, children’s stories and even in horror movies. The platforms may differ, but all are promoting the same truth: when we put our own interests above others and treat each other negatively, we are only hurting ourselves and all those around us.

The misery of another will not make your day any better. Life is not always what you believe to be fair, and no one ever gets everything that they want. We can, however, be happy for the successes of others, supportive in the hard work and dedication of our peers. We should respect those who we disagree with and feel free to share our own thoughts and opinions, all while remaining respectful and open-minded.

The moral of every children’s story is how these negative traits only bring about harm and are often the character’s pitfall. It may be cliché to hear, but there is a reason that children’s authors write these stories to illustrate the negative affects these emotions have on us. 

It is easy to worry about yourself, what you need and how you can succeed. It is normal to want things to go your way, but it is when we embrace caring about and supporting each other that we all do better. 

If for no other reason than for your own gain, be nice to those around you. When you do not forgive and hold grudges, you only trap yourself. We often waste so much energy hated and being envious of those around us that we fail to see all of the blessings in our own lives. Pining after something you do not have will not help you get it, nor will it make you feel any better about your own life. Be happy for those around you and learn from them for how you may improve your own.

You can learn so much from those around you if you take the time to learn and listen from them rather than make shallow judgements and waste your energy and breath putting them down.