6 Facts Everyone Should Know About Jealousy & Envy

I watched a video with Sadhguru, one of the few people I always agree with, and I admire his broad knowledge about everything. While I agree with his explanation, his solution can be more harmful than healing for many people. However, sometimes I have something essential to add. This video about jealousy is one of them.

I agree with him that jealousy can cause misery. I also understand what he means by stating that if a person's joy, sadness, happiness, or misery is determined by something or somebody outside of themselves, they are bound to be a mess.

Furthermore, I agree that insecurity and jealousy are interlinked and that "coming to terms with mortality is one way to overcome insecurity."

In theory, I also resonate well with Sadhguru's suggestions that focusing on one's own experience of life is one way to deal with insecurity. However, I want to add something when he encourages viewers to live an intense and profound life and find what truly fulfills them to enjoy life.

While his message may be logically agreeable to many, his solution is challenging for most people, especially when experiencing emotional darkness. In such situations, words like "fulfill yourself and enjoy your life" may feel like they are being thrown into a Vanta-black box, where insecurity increases and self-worth decreases.

Jealousy and envy are emotions linked to Life Competencies Wholeness and Power. By strengthening these competencies, they can be eliminated.

This blog post aims to give people with envy and jealousy an alternative to how to get out of that uncomfortable state. An option that can convert jealousy into something exciting and, in time, disappear entirely.

If you want to go deeper into the reason for jealousy and know how to heal the phenomena, look at the LifeCompetency Power and its domain "Integrity."

Do you think that jealousy & envy are terrible and almost evil?

If you want to keep that perspective, DO NOT continue reading because this article will probably change your mind.

Suppressing negative emotions is equal to asking them to stay. 

1. Jealousy & Envy Are Symptoms of Something Missing in Your Life. 

Jealousy & envy are symptoms of a lack, grief, or loss of something you desire (consciously or unconsciously) for yourself. It's an emotional state that arises when your potential is underutilized, your dreams are unfulfilled, and your personal qualities lack expression.

Jealousy & envy appear when you feel someone has what you need to become your best. Those emotions occur when the shortage hurts so badly that you can't cope with someone else's happiness.

2. Jealousy & Envy Guide You To Your Hidden Potential. 

When jealousy or envy knocks on your door, it signals that new opportunities are at reach for you.

It's a condition that provides you with further information about yourself so that you know what to change to become whole, happy, and free.

3. Jealousy & Envyare Your Objective Advisers

You can choose to see jealousy & envy as your friends who are there to advise you to explore your hidden potential, point out your personal qualities, and remind you about the dreams you forgot to realize.

Jealousy & envy are an uncamouflaged, uncensored, and unedited signal system that only delivers what's right for you. Therefore, jealousy & envy are your most reliable sources of information about what you need to change.

4. Jealousy & Envy Increase Your Compassion.

For most people, jealousy & envy are painful, and it requires a change of perspective to befriend these feelings. Also, it takes some practice to perceive them as a call for something you should become, do, be, or have.

When you meet a person (including yourself) with symptoms of jealousy or envy, it's time to show compassion and understanding. You can step into your kindness and help yourself and others from those complicated feelings that nobody wants to experience or be exposed to.

5. Suppressed jealousy & Envy Creates Life Deception. 

As long as we hold on to the old assumption that jealousy & envy are evil and something to avoid, people will use their defense mechanisms to push them away.

• They will continue to deny their feelings and go astray that "I'm not jealous," "I'm never envious."
• They will project their envy and experience that people around them are envious.
• They will rationalize their jealousy by moving in a contrary direction to avoid revealing their feelings. 

Withheld emotions build up an illusory lifelong deception that makes it impossible to address the underlying problem to the symptom. A "problem" that only demonstrates the possibility that your potential and personality deserve more space.

"A constant struggle is going on in the Duck Pond (our society) to withhold the truth and maintain an arbitrarily created illusion of its identity. People are always worried about being rambled and feeling panicked for the opinions of others if they fail to live up to their designed image." — Birgitta Granstrom, from the book "Are You Stuck With a Duck?" 

6. Jealousy & Envy Reinforce Your Magnificence. 

You can choose to continue to suppress your jealousy & envy and maintain to be annoyed by "envious people" in your environment. Alternatively, you can select a strategy where you let your jealousy & envy become your best friend — allowing them to teach you how to become the most magnificent version of yourself.

Jealousy and envy are transformative forces that can elevate you into a new light. 

When we perceive these emotions as unfavorable, we allow them to gnaw at us from the inside and foster resentment toward others. 

Here is how you can begin to transform pain into passion

What if we could reshape our understanding of jealousy and envy, transforming them into our most significant allies on the journey to self-discovery and personal growth? 

 

8 approaches to transforming jealousy into a significant allies

Jealousy and envy are emotions that can be difficult to deal with. They often arise when we perceive that someone else has something that we lack, such as a talent, possession, or relationship. These emotions can cause pain, anger, and resentment towards others, leading to negative behaviors such as gossiping, criticizing, or even sabotaging others.

However, when we take a step back and look at jealousy and envy from a different perspective, they call us to become, do, be, or have something we desire.

When we recognize jealousy and envy as a call to action, we can use them as motivation to improve ourselves and our lives. And when we encounter someone experiencing jealousy or envy, we can show them compassion and understanding, recognizing that these emotions are a natural part of the human experience.

By stepping into our kindness and helping others navigate these complicated emotions, we can cultivate greater empathy and compassion for others. And by using jealousy and envy as a catalyst for personal growth and self-improvement, we can expand our capacity for compassion and understanding towards ourselves and others.

1. Embrace

Instead of suppressing jealousy and envy, consider embracing the feeling as the teachers who will guide you toward becoming the most magnificent version of yourself.

2. Acknowledge

By acknowledging these emotions and understanding their root causes, you can uncover hidden desires and aspirations that have been tucked away for far too long. 

Your emotions are valid and hold valuable insights into your true self.

3. Recognize

Begin by recognizing the moments when jealousy or envy arises, and take a deep breath. Pause and reflect on what might be triggering these emotions. Ask yourself, "What can I learn from this experience? How can I use this insight to better myself?" 

4. Understand

By understanding the underlying reasons for your jealousy or envy, you can identify areas of your life that may need more attention, nurturing or improvement.

5. Channel

Channel that energy into setting meaningful intentions and taking tiny steps toward achieving them. If someone's success or accomplishments make you envious, use that as motivation to improve your skills and capabilities. Learn from their journey, and recognize that their achievements can be a source of inspiration for your growth.

6. Empower

Empower yourself with a mindset shift. Instead of perceiving jealousy and envy as signs of weakness or personal shortcomings, view them as catalysts for change and growth. 

Emotions are part of your unique human experience that guides you toward your pinnacle.

Learn more about the LifeCompetency Wholeness to understand the importance of integrate all aspect of life.

7. Support

When you encounter "envious people" in your environment, remember that they are on their journey of self-discovery. Extend compassion and empathy, knowing their feelings are likely rooted in unmet desires or goals. Encourage them to see jealousy and envy as opportunities for personal growth, just as you have learned to do.

8. Allowing

By allowing jealousy and envy to become your best friends, you give yourself permission to grow, evolve, and pursue your dreams. Let these emotions remind you of your limitless potential, and allow them to fuel your journey toward becoming the most magnificent version of yourself. 

Learn more about LifeCompetency Passion

Jealousy and envy are transformative forces that can elevate you into a new light. 

4 COACHING QUESTIONS FOR YOU

1. What are you envious of in others?
2. When do successful and happy people make you feel uncomfortable?
3. How would you describe your designed identity?
4. What are you afraid that others would find out about you?  

With lots of magnificent for you!

Birgitta