Jealousy Can Be Controlled or Eliminated Entirely.
We may not want to admit it but we all feel jealous at various times in our lives. Jealousy often arises out of feelings of low self-esteem, fear, and insecurity related to something that you’re emotionally attached to. Unbridled, jealousy is likely to grow and create real havoc in your life. The good news is you can learn to control or completely eliminate jealousy.
Feelings of Self-Inadequacies Lead to Jealousy.
We’re all innately “wired” to feel jealousy as part of our survival skills. However, this natural emotion is often misused. Retaining jealousy in your mind and body can have damaging effects on your health and relationships.
To overcome jealousy, you need to understand why you’re feeling jealous in the first place. At the root of jealousy are feelings of inadequacy, low self-esteem, and fear. Your self-esteem reacts with jealousy whenever there’s a potential loss of something or someone that’s important to you. If you feel jealous of others or that you’re missing out, there might be inadequacies somewhere in your life.
Take Affirmative Action to Address the Source of Jealousy.
Left unchecked, jealousy can become toxic, and leave you feeling more and more insecure. But there’s a way out. The next time you start to feel jealousy creep into your thoughts, try the following steps to stop this unhealthy emotion.
Take a deep breath and pause. Become aware that you’re feeling jealous. Understand that jealousy is a reaction to your self-esteem feeling threatened. Realize it’s your problem—not anyone else’s—because it’s your threatened self-esteem that’s creating the jealousy. It’s up to you whether you overcome jealousy or not.
Understand what’s behind your jealousy. Are you feeling vulnerable by someone flirting with your partner because you feel insecure in your relationship? Because you know you don’t measure up to their skill level, are you resentful towards an employee promoted to a job you wanted?
Become aware of the possible negative consequences to your jealousy. Sulking or being resentful may end up costing you the very thing you’re desperately trying to hold on to. Being worried and suspicious about your significant other can destroy the trust and love between you.
Use positive steps to resolve the source of your jealousy. Stop any urge to belittle someone or control the situation. Talk honestly about how you’re feeling with your partner, and determine whether your feelings are groundless or based on reality. Ascertain if you’re deficient in some things that are important to your partner. Take appropriate steps to improve or rectify the situation. At work, try to emulate your successful co-worker and improve your deficiencies. In both scenarios, you have eliminated any need for jealousy by improving yourself.
Jealousy Can Be a Stimulus for Needed Improvement.
Jealousy can be an incredibly damaging emotion. But by confronting it with increased self-awareness, honest communication and a desire to better yourself, you can use jealousy as a catalyst for improving yourself. That will lead to a happier, healthier, more successful life.
