A coworker gets the promotion you've been working towards for months. Your boyfriend introduces you to his gorgeous ex-girlfriend who he's still friends with. Your younger sister gets engaged to an amazing man and you haven't had a serious relationship in years. Jealousy can occur in many situations such as at work, in your romantic relationships and with your friends. If you find yourself feeling jealous of others, it could impact your self-esteem, confidence and relationships.
Understand It's Normal
Everyone experiences jealousy at some point, so understanding that it's normal to have feelings of jealousy is the first step in overcoming it. Don't beat yourself up because you feel jealous when you find out that your ex-boyfriend's dating a woman who looks like she belongs on the cover of "Maxim" magazine. There's a big difference between feeling a twinge of jealousy and doing something productive to overcome it and feeling extremely jealous and doing something drastic such as confronting the woman.
Stop Making Comparisons
Everyone's different, so stop comparing yourself to your siblings, friends and coworkers. If you're doing the best that you can do, that's enough. Stop comparing yourself to your brother who's happily married and has two adorable children, and you'll find more happiness in your new relationship. You'll also have a healthier relationship with your brother.
Think in Abundance
If you look at the world as if there's enough room for everyone to be successful, then you'll be happy for others who are happy and successful instead of jealous. Thinking that someone else's success diminishes your own will only lower your self-esteem and self-confidence. Instead, celebrate your friends and family member's successes. When your best friend lands his dream job, take him out for a drink after work instead of moping at home by yourself. You'll feel better, maybe even inspired, and you'll cultivate your relationship.
Pick Your Relationships Carefully
Of course you're going to get jealous if you start dating a man who's known as a player and can't keep his hands off of other women. If you want to be in a monogamous relationship, you need to choose other people who are also interested in a monogamous relationship, according to Yahoo Personals. Don't put yourself in a predicament where you'll constantly feel on guard and jealous.
Combat Irrational Thoughts
Jealousy increases when your thoughts turn from rational to irrational. For instance, if your girlfriend has a male friend that she's been friends with since childhood, you can either realize that they haven't dated yet and she chose you or you can think that they're having a secret affair even though she swears that she doesn't have romantic feelings for him. If your gut tells you that something is going on, then it might be, but is it really your gut influencing you or is it jealousy over their close, long-lasting relationship?
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