23 Apr Let’s Address the Green Monster in the Room: What Can Cause Jealousy
We all have a little green monster inside us. This monster causes us to doubt others and makes us do things that we may regret later. This little creature’s name is jealousy. Jealousy doesn’t just live in romantic relationships. Jealousy can be found in all forms in relationships.
You can be jealous in a friendship. You may have seen jealousy rear its ugly head in friendships when you were younger. When you and your best friend hung out with your other friend. That other friend might have made comments about feeling like a third wheel. Maybe you, yourself, experienced jealousy. For instance, if your best friend started hanging out with another person all the time, you may have felt left out. It’s more common for people to feel jealous over friends than it is in romantic relationships. This is because we often experience a closer bond and memories with our friends.
You can be jealous of a family member. So is it sibling rivalry, or sibling jealously? We often forget the anger is actually a secondary response. Meaning that you have to feel something other than anger first, before actually feeling angry. Before you could be angry with your sibling for getting all of your parent’s attention you may just be jealous of them in the first place.
You can be jealous of a co-worker. It’s not surprising that we might find a green monster in the work place. We often jump to conclusions thinking that the boss is favoring another co-worker more. This may leave us feeling left out, or jealous that they’re rubbing elbows with the boss. We also often assume someone has an easier job then us, which makes us envious of their position.
We all know you can be jealous in a romantic relationship, but we may be surprised to find the little green monster in other relationships. If you do find yourself with a little envy on your shoulder, try to analyze why you’re feeling like that. Then try to think about what you can do to prevent yourself from being jealous. Some may argue being a little green is good for motivational purposes. However, no one likes feeling jealous all of the time.