Or is it?

Jealousy courses through our veins, it embodies us and sometimes it takes a toll on our relationships and friendships. We’re obsessed with everyone else. We want to be anyone but ourselves, and for some reason, it’s so so hard to praise ourselves.

It starts on social media, it carries through conversations and ends up eating your brain alive. It’s infectious. This is something I’ve really been trying to change the last, well, couple years. There’s no overnight trick. It takes a conscious effort to a) praise others for their accomplishments vs. letting it upset you and, b) take satisfaction in YOUR accomplishments instead of dwelling on the shittier things that have happened. A movement I’ve really noticed is women finally deciding it’s time to fight for the same team and not against each other. I’m not saying we were always at each others’ throats before, but lately, it seems like we’re all pushing for a similar cause instead of slut shaming, body shaming and just shaming in general. That’s such a positive influence for me. Seeing other people support each other is the exact way you inspire yourself and others to encourage rather than hate.

I could creep social media profiles for hours, watch TV shows of the rich and famous and somehow I always find myself in the same position. Not inspired or motivated to be better. But frustrated and J E A L O U S that I don’t have the life these people do. It’s almost like I don’t appreciate their success. I don’t understand that they’ve worked HARD. But I know they have! I know nothing worth having in life comes easy! I work hard too! But I’m so stuck comparing. Comparing. Comparing. I get lost. Sucked down the rabbit hole. Which is why I say it takes a very conscious effort to stop.

Realize these people deserve recognition, praise, and admiration for how far they come.

Turn that negative energy into something helpful for either yourself or others. It’s not fair to you first of all. You deserve love and gratitude, sometimes we all need a little pat on the back. It’s also not fair to these people who achieved success through hard work, and now they’re being discredited and judged because I’M JEALOUS???? Gross. That genuinely makes me feel gross.

Whether it’s someone I know who maybe lost a bunch of weight and looks fabulous or someone on the internet has this wicked job where they get to travel all over the world. Kudos. Kudos to your stunning, persevering and likely gracious souls. I do truly admire you;  unfortunately, admiration can be confused in my head for jealousy, but I’m trying. I’m openly trying to look for the good, appreciate the hard work and push myself to pay this attitude and optimism forward.

The grass is not always greener, in fact, it rarely is. You worked fucking hard for your grass too. Appreciate yourself. Appreciate others. And cultivate optimism.

How’s that for a welcome-back blog?