Green with Envy

Jealousy is a rather normal feeling.  It usually stems from one’s seemingly lack of sense of security in himself/herself.  He/She feels inadequate and less of a person than others, and may therefore harbour ill feelings and thoughts towards another.  He/She does not find contentment with what she has. Oftentimes, jealousy is a mixture of other negative feelings, such as anger, hurt, and insecurity.  It can actually be stressful to be jealous most of the time.

It has been quite frequently said that a jealous person is immature.  In more severe instances, a jealous person may be described as childish and unsure of herself.  And this can be very damaging, especially when one is in a relationship.  Sometimes, jealousy can lead to emotional, mental and psychological breakdowns.  If worse comes to worse, jealousy can lead one into committing crimes of passion. 

Jealousy can have physical effects, too.  It can render a person weak, lethargic and unhealthy. 
Although it is quite normal to be jealous once in a while and as long as it is only to a certain degree, still nobody really wants to be jealous of another person.  Thus, it may be necessary to take steps to avoid jealousy and to live a happier and contented life. 

One way of dealing with jealousy is to become self-reliant.  In a relationship, for example, jealousy occurs when one has become too dependent on another that the mere absence of the other can cause fits of jealousy.  Do not depend too much on your partner.  Remember that you have individual needs and wants and different capabilities.  There are things you can do that he cannot.  Likewise, there are things he can do that you cannot.  Learn to complement each other. 

Another way of dealing with jealousy is to focus yourself in developing more confidence.  Improve your appearance, for instance.  Update yourself with the latest in fashion.  Get a new look.  Get a perm.  Buy that little black dress you have had your eyes on for years.  Invest a little. You will get your money’s worth in the end, anyway, especially if you have your partner’s eyes only on you.

Also, be honest.  Be honest with yourself.  Be honest with your partner.  Do not keep your feelings of insecurity locked up within yourself.  Tell your partner your feelings and your needs. Let him know what you expect from the relationship.  Lay your cards on the table.  It always pays to be honest.  Being honest with each other makes you more secure in your relationship. 

To avoid jealousy, communicate.  Keep the lines of communication open, more especially if you are miles away from each other.  Let him feel your presence every single day through text messages or phone calls or whatever creative way you can think of.
 
Finally, do not get overboard.  Get to the bottom of the picture first before overreacting.  Though it is in a woman’s nature to be emotional, sometimes her emotions get the better of her.  Quite frequently, women tend to hurt themselves by imagining things that really are not.