Do you ever find yourself falling into the wormhole of Instagram-stalking? We’ve all been there, seeing a photo that sparks our interest and before we know it, we’ve spent hours scrolling through someone’s page, trying to better understand their life. We see their success, their beauty, and their endless travel adventures, and we can’t help but feel envious and resentful towards our own lives. Envy is a complex emotion that we all experience, but it’s important to understand how it can slowly take over our lives and how we can overcome it.

Envy is an emotion that makes us feel unhappy about someone else’s happiness. It’s natural to compare ourselves to others, but when we allow envy to consume our thoughts and emotions towards others and ourselves, we lose sight of our own reality. We become so fixated on what others are doing that we fail to realize our own potential and achievements. This can lead to feelings of self-doubt, low self-esteem, and ultimately, a sense of hopelessness.

Envy, in its healthy form, can be a motivator that inspires us to strive towards our own goals and success. However, when we begin to feel envious of others and their success, we tend to compare ourselves on an unrealistic and unhealthy level. We focus solely on what we lack instead of acknowledging our own strengths and accomplishments. In this way, envy can be a self-destructive emotion that slowly kills our motivation and happiness.

To avoid falling into the trap of envy, we need to take a step back and observe how we react to other people’s achievements. When we see someone close to us achieve something great, do we celebrate their victories or feel envious towards them? If something negative happens to someone, do we commiserate with them or secretly revel in their misfortune?

One way to counteract envy is to limit our time on social media. While social media can be a great way to connect with others, it can also be a breeding ground for envy and comparison. We see others’ highlight reels and compare them to our own behind-the-scenes struggles. By limiting our exposure to social media, we can lessen our exposure to the curated lives of others and focus on our own reality.

It’s also important to surround ourselves with positive influences and people who share our values. If we spend time with people who value materialistic items and social status, we will begin to place more importance on these things as well. This leads to a constant need to have the best and the most amongst those we encounter, and ultimately, a sense of emptiness. Instead, we should focus on meaningful and fulfilling relationships with people who appreciate us for who we are, rather than what we have.

Another way to combat envy is to compare ourselves with our past selves, rather than with others. Instead of getting wrapped up in the idea that someone else is better than us, we can focus on our own personal growth and progress. We can look back at old photos, articles we’ve written, or personal achievements and remember how far we’ve come. This allows us to appreciate our own journey and celebrate our own milestones, rather than feeling envious of others’.

Finally, practicing gratitude can help us overcome envy. Take a moment each day to write down things in your life that you’re grateful for, no matter how small or insignificant they may seem. When we focus on the positive aspects of our life, we begin to appreciate what we have and stop comparing ourselves to others. Gratitude is a powerful tool that can help shift our mindset from one of envy to one of contentment and happiness.

In conclusion, envy is an emotion that we all experience, but it’s important to understand how it can slowly take over our lives if we allow it to. By taking steps to lessen our exposure to envy-inducing situations, surrounding ourselves with positive influences, and focusing on our own personal growth and progress, we can overcome feelings of envy and appreciate our own unique journey. By practicing gratitude, we can shift our mindset from one of comparison and envy to one of contentment and happiness.