It’s almost impossible to be happy for someone when we’re envying him or her. Envy isn’t necessarily about wanting what the other person has but more about our fears and insecurities within, ‘I’m going to get left behind? I’m not good enough? Why not me?’ It’s not about getting something in as much as emphasizing who we aren’t. That’s why it takes an incredible amount of maturity to be genuinely happy for someone while we’re wrestling with our own demons. If we’re not careful, these bitter feelings will poison our thoughts and slowly rot our hearts. Of course, we’d never openly admit we’re envious but if we don’t learn to rise above it, it’ll eat us up from the inside out.

Instead of bashing ourselves for feeling envious, we should use it as an indicator to see what’s going on in our hearts – do we have a lust for fame, desire for recognition, or a sense of entitlement? We can use our pain and heartache as an opportunity to discover, grow, and improve ourselves. Being envious won’t change the situation but it will change us, for the worse. Life’s too short to compare and complain so we might as well have a great attitude and celebrate with those around us.

©2015 Susie Lee