Fortunately, in spite of its nefarious qualities, envy has an upside. It's absolutely brilliant at uncovering the things we want. Consequently, envy can give us the swift kick in the seat of the pants that sets us on the path to positive action, provided we take the time to reframe our thoughts.
The next time envy strikes, try this:
- Ask yourself if your reaction is telling you something about your own goals and desires. Is starting an herb garden, getting certified as a yoga instructor, making a trip to Antarctica suddenly becoming a higher priority? What is it that you really, really want?
- Use the sense of urgency you're feeling to figure out how you'll achieve your goal.
- Get started on step one of your action plan.
Knowing what you want and working to achieve it is the best way I can think of to thwart envy and channel its energy in a positive direction. Why eat your heart out when you can celebrate some else's good fortune wholeheartedly?
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