Jealousy Can Be Productive

We have all been jealous of someone/thing at some point in our lives. Jealousy is wired in our DNA for survival. Luckily, with the right tools, we can decode what our jealousy is trying to tell us and turn malicious jealousy into productivity.

Malicious jealousy is disliking someone only because they have something you want or they look a certain way that grabs the attention you want.

We tend to compare people's 'highlight reels' and ignore their struggles. Forgetting there is a chance someone may take outstanding care of their health and work out routinely, putting hours in a week. They may struggle with body disorders, only for cruel jealousy to say, "they only have a perfect figure because 'they' went to a million plastic surgeons and live in vanity."

"Anger, resentment, and jealousy don't change the heart of others. It only changes yours."
― Shannon Alder

Productive jealousy replaces the anger that comes with jealousy with curiosity and puts the focus back on you. Do YOU need to be a little healthier in your own life? How did 'THEY' get where you want to be? Imagine all the people you could learn from by simply asking questions. Most of us stop at the jealousy part and don't pursue it any further.

A peaceful mind gives life to the body. But jealousy rots the bones.
Proverbs 13:40

In one of her books, writer Lori Deschene asks us to imagine that we're jealous of our rich neighbor. She expresses, "I doubt you're envious of a sixty-five-hour workweek or his limited time for personal relationships." Instead, you probably want to experience the feelings of pride and accomplishment he has.

"Often, when you're jealous of someone else, it has nothing to do with what they have. It's about how you assume having that would make you feel."
-Lori Deschene.

ASK YOURSELF QUESTIONS. Why is this jealousy so intense? "What void do I believe having it would fill?" If you don't ask yourself these questions, even if you get everything you want and live with a jealous attitude, you'll only want more.

Jealousy is nothing more than an inner scream that you need to be more productive in your life.
-Lisa D'Anna

Jealousy is an arrow pointing to unmet desires and needs. Used productively, jealousy can lead to HUGE growth. It can show us our fears ( losing someone) (affairs) etc... this type of jealousy points us to where we need to set boundaries or rebuild relationships. Career jealousy is a big red arrow to the field in which you should pursue or improve.

We usually are jealous of people in fields we want to follow or lack the talent for. For example, I would never be jealous of the world's most excellent pilot because the area doesn't interest me, and I'd be a terrible pilot because the enthusiasm just isn't there. Remember, you're not lacking anything; your mindset needs to change from bitterness to growth. Feeling frustrated is okay, but don't let it out on someone else only because you're jealous. Use it for your benefit. The person or assets that you are jealous of may even be able to help you. Imagine if peanut butter was jealous of jelly. 😭