Tips on How to Handle Jealousy
It's actually quite common but that doesn't mean that we know how to handle jealousy in our lives.
Check out these easy to use tips to find out how you can at least handle your jealousy better, even if you don't manage to overcome it completely.
Step back and take your jealousy apart This tip sounds a bit weird at first but almost all feelings - including jealousy - are a mixture of things rather than one "overall" feeling.
Dissecting your jealousy allows you to split it up into its component parts and gives you a good way to tackle it.
The mass of emotions that is normally tied up in a jealous feeling are usually too big for us mere mortals to conquer.
But each individual emotion is a different matter - they often evaporate at the first sign of inspection.
Tackle the smallest components first.
They're the easiest to remove as there's almost no substance to them.
Once you've done one or two, congratulate yourself! Then tackle a few more as you build up your energy.
The good news is that once you get about half way through, you've mortally wounded your jealous feelings and the remainder will probably dissipate over the next few hours or days.
Don't go for revenge Often our first instinct on handling jealousy is to get our own back.
The well worn phrase that revenge is a dish best served cold is very true.
Even if you can't totally talk yourself out of taking revenge, at least wait for a bit before plotting what to do.
Sleep on the idea overnight.
Often your more sensible side will have come up with all sorts of reasons as to why you shouldn't seek revenge.
Listen to it! It's actually all about you Odd as it may sound, those jealous feelings are a lot more about you than they are about the other person.
There's self doubt running through your mind - how could you have been so wrong? And those feelings are much more about you questioning yourself than they are about feeling jealous about whatever one-upmanship you feel has taken place.
So, on your own or with a friend, work out what's really bugging you.
It's probably not what you thought at first glance.
Keep asking why A good way to get to the bottom of these kind of feelings is to use a child-like sense of questioning.
Rather than accepting the first reason for feeling jealous, ask yourself "why?" Then, when you've answered the first "why", ask it again.
And again.
And again.
Usually the first few answers are what you think are the right ones.
Then as you progress to the fourth, fifth, sixth "why" you actually get closer to the truth.
Keep digging - chances are that you'll burst out loud when you get to the more ridiculous answers and it's at that stage that you'll find yourself really getting a handle on your jealousy.