There is not a passion so strongly rooted in the human heart as envy. ~ Richard Brinsley Sheridan
Envy gets a bad rap in our society, with fair cause. But today I want to talk about the positive aspects of envy. I believe that envy can be a great helper in your life, if you know how to tune in and use it wisely.
Think of envy as a little green monster that sits on your shoulder, a friendly monster who knows you well, watching and observing as you go through life.
When he sees something that you want (whether you recognise that fact or not), he digs his claws into your shoulder, causing you a sting of discomfort.
If it’s something that’s actually quite important to you, the green-eyed monster’s fat, heavy tail may also slap you on the side of the head, to make sure you’re paying attention.
Ouch!
And then a little flag goes up in the perimeter of your conscious awareness, to mark that space for you. It will make you feel uncomfortable, restless, cranky, perhaps even a bit pouty. It can also make you feel inadequate, guilty, insecure, or ‘not enough’.
But be brave. Move past those reactive feelings. They are only there to get your attention. Now he’s got it, tune in to the envy monster’s message.
He’ll whisper in your ear, “look… look… the boots she’s wearing… the job he’s doing… how fit she is… the review for his book… their holiday house in France… the freedom they enjoy… those friends having dinner together… did you see that? did you feel that? We could do that. We could have that. We could be that.”
And you’ll know it’s true. Maybe it’s not enough to be a clerical assistant any more – maybe you should go back to night school. Maybe you need to lose a few pounds, update your wardrobe, go on a holiday, dust off that half-finished manuscript and have another crack at it, start dating or end a go-nowhere relationship…
There is a seed of self-awareness in envy, and if you plant that seed in a barren part of your life, water it, nurture it, and help it grow, it will one day bear sweet fruit.
And then the green-eyed envy monster will have a nice long, well-deserved nap, because you won’t need him any more.
♥ You deserve to shine.
♥ You deserve to follow your dreams.
♥ You deserve to be happy and well loved.
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
