Why do I get jealous when I see my best friend do well? I'm supposed to be happy for her right? Then why?
14 Answers
Moderated by Danielle Johnson, MSED, Community mental Health Counseling, LMHC
Updated: Nov 23, 2021
FriendlyNeighborhoodPanda
on
Feb 26, 2017
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Sadly, it's natural for people to become jealous when others are doing well- especially if they're exerting a lot of effort themselves. Just remember that your best friend has exerted effort of her own to get where she is now, and instead of staying jealous, celebrate that her efforts have produced rewards, and know that your achievements will be bearing fruits of their own.
Freedangel
on
May 23, 2017
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Sometimes we aren't proud of our emotions. Sometimes our first thought or words can make us feel that pang of guilt: "Why did I think/say that?" It's certainly human nature to want to succeed. Unfortunately, when we feel poorly about ourselves or things just don't seem to be going our way, it can leave a bad taste in our mouths to see others succeeding, regardless of how we feel for them. Ever fail a test while your friend got an "A"? Would you rather your friend have failed with you? Of course not! But wouldn't it have made you feel a bit better about your own grade if your friend had failed too? This is just part of human nature. Just do your best to push past these emotions and certainly avoid expressing them to your friend specifically. Remind yourself that you love and care about them and you should be/are happy for them that they're doing well.
JoeysFood
on
May 29, 2017
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It's completely normal to be jealous. Compare it to when people order nicer food that what you already have. Just enjoy what you already have and don't compare yourself to others- ever. Even if you get jealous, always have your expectations up high. If they can do it, that means you can do it too! Better- even!
Anonymous
on
Nov 23, 2021
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Don't get annoyed at yourself for how you are feeling. We have to accept our negative feelings to learn from them and reflect on ourselves to understand ourselves better. Perhaps you are just not satisfied with your own lifestyle at the moment and that is perfectly fine! Maybe you need to consider what you could change in your own life to bring you happiness so you can appreciate her success too. We all have different lifestyles and sometimes we have to learn to focus on our own paths instead of comparing ourselves with others as we are our own unique individuals and experience different emotions - I'm sure you have many great enviable qualities of your own! I hope I helped and good luck!
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