You can overcome jealousy

When I was young, I used to get really jealous every time a friend had something really exciting happening to them. I remember when my best friend Tim got a new bike; I was green with envy and seething with jealousy. I thought it was unfair that he had something cool and I didn’t. At school, I would get jealous every time a teacher or other students praised a classmate.I spent excessively much time noticing the good things that other kids had and failed to notice or appreciate what I possessed. I found myself wanting what others had whether talent, material possessions like toys or money. And while I was convinced this was a normal, I didn’t like the feeling in the pit of my stomach. Deep down I knew this was wrong! I knew I had to change or else I was going to spend the rest of my life unhappy and bitter. Jealousy comes very easily, but fortunately getting rid of it is not that hard if we could just stop and think for a few seconds. The second we realize what we are doing, we will see that it is neither right nor fair to be unhappy for someone who is happy.I really wanted to stop the jealousy but I didn’t know what to do. I could not tell my parents or even the pastor for fear of being judged or viewed as a terrible person. However, as days went by, I couldn’t handle the guilt in me and asked my big sister who happened to be my friend too for some advice. Surprisingly, she understood what I was going through perfectly as she admitted to having the same problem once. She told me that whenever you feel jealous, don’t react in a destructive way. Do not burst out, don’t give the silent treatment, don’t roll your eyes, or show any signs of displeasure. Try to do the exact opposite. Look at the people who are not as fortunate as you. She even gave live examples of people we knew who didn’t have two slices put together! This really awakened me because it made me realize the difference between important things and un-important things. She explained to me that even though I don’t have some of the things I want, I am still more fortunate than some other people in this world. I later learnt that everything in life comes as part of a package. If somebody has something that you don’t, you also have a few things that they don’t. If you are also a jealous person, what you have to know is that jealousy is a very dangerous thing! It makes you feel bad about yourself. It changes your motive from loving your friends to wondering how you can get what your friend has and even loathing them. It changes your goals from being your own unique and loving self to being spiteful and bitter. Talk to your parents or an adult you trust and tell them about this problem. They will definitely help you and in no time, your life will change for the better.