With a colorful past of controversies, running my mouth, and criticism, I know haters better than most people. Haters gonna hate, right?

Well, some people take what haters say close to heart. Words hurt, especially when people are talking about you in a negative way, in person or through the internet. As much as I've hated haters as the next guy, there is one thing I have had to teach myself along the way. Love that you have haters. You might think I sound crazy, and I know I do. BUT just think, how does someone get haters? BY BREAKING THE STATUS QUO AND ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

I'm a pretty outspoken individual in case you haven't noticed already. From some articles that I have written, or words spoken on a podcast I formerly hosted. However, I will hold myself accountable because there were times I did cross the line in what was being said. But on the other hand, when I wasn't going too far, some of the haters were just hysterical.

A while back there was an Odyssey article I wrote titled "I am A Millennial and I Am Embarrassed of My Generation". When posted, I had a thread of about 300 comments saying that I am wrong, privileged and that I should go die. (Yes, my haters have gone as far as saying they are going to kill me for what I was saying.) While reading the threads, I couldn't help myself but laugh. I took these comments as a win because what I have done was making a difference in how people think. A lot of people agreed, and a lot of people disagreed. Someone even wrote a counter article against me telling me that I am a literal "piece of sh*t". Ha! That one might be my personal favorite.

From that article and so on I just kept writing about what I wanted to write about and creating what I wanted to create. I wasn't going to let some nobody tell me that I am "garbage". From working for what I have, standing up for myself, and not taking any more crap has accumulated some hateful followers. And in all honesty, I love it.

Don't go out of your way to get haters. Do what you have to do to better yourself and be successful. The haters will come, and that is just because they are jealous of you making a difference. Do your thing, love yourself, and let the haters hate.