Overcoming Jealousy

JEALOUSY

Today’s conversation is about a topic not too celebrated as most of us were taught it’s wrong to be jealous of others; yet it can be real. I was taught to put a smile on my face, and suck it up when I saw a friend win a match, or get a cool new pair of shoes, promotion, or opportunity.  The “ugly” feelings made me feel like something was wrong with me because I was told to replace them with ignorance or to just be happy! Over time, the feeling does go away, but the mask I unknowingly started to wear told me I wasn’t good enough, or didn’t fit in. Before long – life as I saw it happened for others; but not for me.

RELATE?
I’m here to tell you; you’re not alone. Jealousy simply means there is a fear present.  When a fear is present, it’s easy for your mind to create comparison, and doubt. Fears are not present in the present moment; they are an illusion.  In other words – can you prove your fear in reality or is it only in your head? Fear only lives in you.

NEW WAY
You can never get rid of your thoughts, but you can strengthen your rebound time with a consistent meditation practice.  The best part about meditation is you can do it anywhere, anytime of day, and it doesn’t require any prep work. You focus your mind on an object for a set amount of time.  The object can be your breath, an object you look at, or a sound. My go to resource for all things meditation is Dr. Richard Davidson. He is a neuropsychiatrist, and the founder of Center for Healthy Minds.
https://centerhealthyminds.org/about/founder-richard-davidson
https://www.richardjdavidson.com

The other tool that works nicely with meditation is powerful.  Viktor Frankl was the scientist behind proving you can choose how you perceive your reality.  This goes hand and hand with meditation. When you are stimulated by something, or someone, you have a choice to react (without thought) or respond (with thought).