Feeling envious? Here’s how to cope.
Envy is an uncomfortable emotion. Our On Your Mind columnist Juli Fraga writes about a former patient who envied her brother’s successful career. While she was working hard to pay the bills, he was vacationing around the world. “I’m such a terrible person for feeling this way,” she said. “Why can’t I feel happy for my brother?”
Fraga reassured her that envy isn’t a character flaw. Like all emotions, it’s something to notice and validate.
But in extreme cases, this emotion can turn malicious, causing us to bad-mouth the envied person or devalue their success. If you’ve ever felt this way, you probably know that envy doesn’t discriminate. It can make us harbor ill feelings toward even people we love and care about.
However, envy doesn’t need to hinder us or our relationships. Fraga offers six simple tips to help you cope with envious feelings.
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