One of my friends has always been quite jealous of other women, and I’m really not sure why. Boyfriends, clothes, jobs, holidays – anything anyone else had, she wanted or was annoyed she didn’t have. It started when we were teenagers, but even when we were 21 I can remember her sulking because another friend had given me a top she wanted or because a few of us had boyfriends and she didn’t.
I thought it was the kind of thing you grew out of as you grew up, but no, even though she’s a married woman now with a beautiful family she’s still the same way. (I’ve learned to ignore it, she’s a good friend, I love her to bits and it’s just one of those things). Recently though I’ve noticed some other women – grown up women, mums – expressing their jealousy.
Well of course it's good to be in touch with your emotions, but jealousy is not something I do at all, so I just find it a very difficult emotion to understand.
Maybe it’s because I grew up in a house where I was always assured of love and never wanted for anything – food or toys. Even when my parents didn’t have any money (my dad worked two jobs for a few years to support his first wife and children), we never went without. I never felt envious of anyone else. Yes of course I could be richer, thinner, a best-selling novelist (that’s my own fault, I know what books I want to write, I just haven’t written them yet).
But I can honestly say I’ve never looked at any of my friends, or colleagues, or fellow bloggers, and thought ‘I want what they have.’ I feel incredibly thankful, lucky, blessed, whatever you want to call it.
You have to enjoy your own life and appreciate what you have rather than looking at what you don’t, surely? What do you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
written by Liz Jarvis