by Akua Hinds

Created on: February 03, 2010

Jealousy is that awful feeling in the pit of your stomach that makes you feel terrified and nauseous.  Jealousy is heartbreaking, and it's safe to say that everyone on the planet has experienced or will experience jealous emotions at some point in their lives.  Feelings of jealousy can be triggered by many different experiences, but the worst kind of jealousy is the kind felt over someone you love.  It's agonizing. 

It's important to understand that jealousy stems from fear and insecurity.  Feelings of fear and insecurity can cause mental anguish, driving someone to their breaking point of which there may be no return.   There are many times when our feelings deceive us and cause us to believe things that are untrue.  Just because a person may FEEL jealous, that doesn't mean there is any cause for concern.  Those jealous emotions may be a sign that something isn't right on the inside of the person feeling the pain.  It’s very possible that feelings of jealousy are triggered by previous hurtful experiences.  It’s crucial to get complete closure from a relationship that’s finished before moving into a new relationship.  Otherwise, the cycle of fear and insecurity can continue and feelings of jealousy could be a constant obstacle in the new relationship. 

Here's another tip to overcoming jealousy:  Do whatever you can to take your mind off of it!  Spend time talking with a friend, get a new hairstyle, go shopping, but just don't give in to your feelings of jealousy and the torment that jealousy causes to distort your view of yourself.  Understand, there is nothing wrong with admitting that you feel jealous but simply addressing your feelings doesn't solve the problem.  Taking the first step towards conquering jealousy starts with you.  Try reminding yourself about the good things in life to look forward to.  You are a valuable person.  You play a pivotal role in the history of the universe.  You are special and you have absolutely nothing to feel inadequate about.  Have trust and have faith in yourself and your self-worth so that you can have trust and faith in other people.    When you do this, your relationships will grow stronger and be more fulfilling because your focus will be on becoming a better person.   By replacing feelings of jealousy with feelings of strength and confidence through self-actualization, that awful feeling in the pit of your stomach, will become a distant and faded memory. 

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