Have you ever seen a friend doing really great, getting a promotion, a new job, a new man or what ever, and felt that weird feeling; I wish it was me. Even worse, I wish it wasn’t her. Maybe there are confusing feelings of happiness for your friend mixed in there too, that make you feel a bit guilty for your Envy?
Envy, that human emotion that we all feel that can be summed up as the feeling of insecurity about ourselves that makes us worried, nervous, or angry about someone else’s success, beauty or happiness. It is what fuels the anonymous comments on the bottom of internet articles. It’s goes something like: “why does Beyonce have to be so ridiculously perfect, ugh I hate her and I hope her marriage is failing.” This is the type of subconscious thought that fuels the hateful messages by people who don’t know her or other celebrities at all. It’s the pain of thinking that the celebrity has it too easy.
And yet, do these celebrities really have it easier? In terms of having millions of dollars, yes. That makes life a whole lot easier, for certain. But there exists the truth, that every living person experiences pain, tragedy, love, loss, degradation, humiliation, insecurity and joy. We are all living and trying to realize dreams through the mine fields and ups and downs of our daily lives.
On that pleasant note, the Journal of Science found that envy triggers areas in the brain responsible for physical pain. It hurst to envy. I believe that spiritually it closes doors for you. It’s like resigning yourself to the fact that you’re not good enough. That you don’t believe that you’ll meet that great guy someday or that you don’t think you can obtain that type of success. Envy is hopelessness.
But don’t be too hard on yourself because in our comparison based society everyone is bound to compare each other. The trick is to use these very human emotions and turn them into feelings of inspiration “If that person can do it, I can to!” and to remember that when you’re worried about someone else’s success, you’re not spending glorious time envisioning all the wonderful things coming your way.
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