GBG Vitality- Viva Vitality: When Envy Gets the Best of You

Thursday, March 11, 2010

When Envy Gets the Best of You

Learn more about your Body, Mind and Spirit with Viva Vitality brought to you GBG Vitality.

Nowadays, people divulge tons of private life details. But, too much information can create covetous feelings that wreak havoc on self-esteem.

Telling people how much money you make or the recent purchases you had from expensive shops used to be considered inappropriate. But, in today’s confessional society, people are encouraged to spill about all the good things that happen to them.

Trouble is, this over-sharing has given rise to a new level of envy. Status is much more important than it used to be and everyone is now more competitive. People want others to know that they’re living well, and since there’s more pressure than ever to keep up, hearing intimate details of someone’s life can make you feel a tad bit envious. Adding to the problem is your heightened level of brand awareness. When people wear their financial prosperity on their sleeve, you know how much their wardrobe costs even without them telling you. And since no one should ever feel inferior, you need to cope with envy so it won’t be toxic for you.

Nearly everybody has the ability to conjure up covetous feelings.

It may not bother you that some acquaintance or someone older than you has something you don’t. But, when it’s a friend or a person you feel who’s in the same level as you are, it can be harder to take because you feel you deserve the same things. More often than not, envy stems from insecurity. And everyone has an Achilles’ heel, whether physical, psychological, or financial. So, when another guy or gal offers up stories of success, it magnifies feelings of intense inadequacy. Some just tend to compare themselves to others and how they stack up can affect their self-esteem.

Rather than sitting around and listening to a friend ramble on and on about something they’ve recently scored, reroute the conversation in a non-aggressive way. If someone’s bragging, change the subject to something neutral and just as interesting. If that person doesn’t take the hint, try the more direct approach. Tell them the topic makes you uncomfortable as most people will respect your boundaries. But no matter how adept you become at defusing envy-inducing situations, you’re still bound to get green-eyed every so often. The trick is to allow envy to motivate you to improve your life. If you’re sick of listening to people gush about the things you’re still striving for, make a pact with yourself to do something about it.

Finally, since you know that jealousy is a very lousy feeling, don’t subject others to it.

You can share private details with close friends, but tell people things based on their own situations. Call someone who knows what you’re going through so that they’re happy for you when you divulge all the juicy details. When someone feels secure about the subject matter, they won’t feel envious. Also, try using a humble tone and complimenting the person you’re talking to.

That way, it’s so much easier for the other person to be genuinely happy for you.