Yes, There’s a Way to Make Jealously Work for You—Here’s How

Get a reality check

Are you indispensable at work? Or not so much? This is a good opportunity to consider the skills you lack and how you could improve them. “Think about what you can learn from the situation,” says Kristie Overstreet, a licensed professional clinical counselor, certified sex therapist and author of Fix Yourself First: 25 Tips to Stop Ruining Your Relationship. What attributes and strengths do the person you’re jealous of have that you can adopt? This process will help you evaluate your current path and lifestyle, giving you an opportunity for self-improvement. Turn the pain and hurt that comes with feeling jealous into a chance to grow.” So, instead of wallowing in self-pity that your friend got promoted and you didn’t, assess the situation. Do you need to participate in meetings more? Maybe you need to be more organized. Put your feelings aside and analyze what happened to help you determine how you can reach the same milestone. Figure out what steps you need to take to reach that same status.