Shift from jealous to inspired
Flipping the switch from jealousy to inspiration is essential if you want to sustain a congruent life. Jealousy drags you and the subject of jealousy down. It is borne of insecurity. It can corrupt our standards, as constantly comparing yourself to other people is not as useful as comparing yourself to who you were yesterday.
Jealousy is human, and it does contain that wisdom that we ought to be turning our attention to what it is we feel we lack. Being aware of jealousy can be a gateway to being inspired by what someone else has accomplished, only if you let go of the corrosive negativity that jealousy embitters. We should want to cultivate meaningful achievements and growth in our lives. But, the moment that distrust or contempt begins to attach itself to the work of others, you should consider stopping it in its tracks before it gets any worse. Inspiration from the accomplishments of others is a core aspect that Congruent Academy wants to instill in all who engage with our content.
A Quick Example: These days, recent graduates and even those who have been working for years have found themselves scrambling to land a job. When someone gets hired somewhere, and you’ve been met by rejection, it is perfectly natural to feel jealousy come up towards that person. But, at a certain point, I would encourage whoever is reading this to understand that no two people’s journeys in life are the same. Understand that the time and energy you spend being jealous about someone else’s success is time and energy that you could be spending expanding as a person.
In being able to recognize and label that emotion, ‘jealousy’, we don’t have to identify with it or let it possess us. Instead, I find the healthier choices to be:
1. Take a step back and see exactly what the motivations and underlying thoughts are you associating with this person getting an opportunity. Is it that you don’t feel they deserve it? If so, recognize how that thought is in no way beneficial to you.
2. Celebrate the achievement of that other person! If this is someone that you actually care about, this is essential. Be encouraging and inspired.
3. Get back to work inspired by this person’s success. This person’s success may indicate some more work that you need to do, and thus can be a call to action. Are there courses that you could brush up on? Could you be sending out more resumes or working your network that much more?
Can this be a wake up call for you to get your act together that much more? Yes, that is usually the underlying message pinging from jealous thoughts. Reconnect to your intentions. Ask yourself what value are you seeking to add to the world today? That value is much less positive if it is coming from a jealous mind than an inspired one.
