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WHY ENVYING OTHER WOMEN WILL GET YOU NOWHERE

“Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the best, the fairest, the most successful, the most desirable or the cleverest of them all?” How often does this unspoken question appear on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and on other social media platforms! Essentially, comparing oneself with others is a positive thing. After all, it can help us improve our understanding of ourselves or assess the behaviour we display in different situations even better.

Comparing ourselves with others can also strengthen us in times of crisis, especially when we realise that we are not alone with our problems, but that others make similar experiences or have to deal with similar challenges.

COMPARING ONESELF WITH OTHERS CAN BE CONSTRUCTIVE OR DESTRUCTIVE

Constructive comparisons with others can spur us on to make changes or improvements when we honestly try to refine ourselves. But in many cases such comparisons elicit pure envy. Namely when we

… are discontented

… do not make the most of our talents

… feel at a disadvantage

… begrudge others their success

… see that others live our dreams

… make others believe that we feel much better than is actually the case.

Preferably, we compare ourselves with people with whom we have a lot in common or who are in similar job or life situations. And social media actively supports us in doing so.

Therefore, it would be worth consideration to analyse one’s own life first, in order to find out if it is actually “worth” it to envy others. Many things that seem enviable at a first glance, look entirely different at a second glance. After all, the price many people have to pay for being envied by others is frequently too high. Therefore, the comparison and the envy are quickly put into perspective, because one should take into account all aspects, including the compromises and sacrifices that someone has to make for their “enviable” life.

FEMALE COOPERATION INSTEAD OF FEMALE COMPETITION

Something that always cuts me to the quick is the competition that is openly or secretly going on between us women. As long as we women think of each other as rivals, we will always want to “win” or at least have the edge over each other. We want the most handsome man, the most perfect shape, the most flawless complexion, the smartest children or the most profitable job. But a lot of precious energy falls by the wayside in this pointless competition, and this does not make us happier at the end of the day.

As long as we women compete with each other and envy each other, we close our minds to our female elementary power. Because we compete with each other and envy each other, we focus our energies in a direction that neither gets us nor others anywhere. On the contrary! We display a kind of behaviour that is strongly informed by patriarchal ideology, which we actually should dismiss altogether. After all, the female power, which is inherent in every woman, is able to develop inner greatness and individuality, while at the same time not begrudging other women their otherness and happiness.

 

Women
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NO LONGER GET IN YOUR OWN WAY AND DO NOT ENVY OTHERS (10/10)

10 steps for women who eventually want to fulfil their potential (10/10)

Wilhelm Busch once said that envy is the most honest form of recognition

Whereas jealousy means ‘I want to have what you have’, being envious means ‘I want to have what you have, and I do not want you to have it!’. While a little bit of jealousy adds a certain amount of flavour to a dish, like salt and pepper, envy means emptying the whole pepper mill on it.

Furthermore, envy indicates a lack of self-worth, and hints at self-pity, which results in comparing oneself with others, and feeling disadvantaged.

And the other way round: if we feel envied, it is the unspoken confession that we are better or more successful, or simply luckier. At least, at the first, more superficial glance. However, if you take a closer look at the spiritual laws, you will discover that everything that happens to us is the result of cause and effect.

Envy is of no benefit because…

  • you benefit more from concentrating on your own life, needs and successes
  • you are happier when content with what you have
  • it is better to concentrate on your abilities and talents rather than peering at others
  • it is better to define personal levels and priorities
  • envy can destroy relationships, which you definitely do not want
  • envy weakens your self-worth, your self-esteem, and your self-confidence, which is the last thing you want

THOUGHTS ON THE TOPIC ‘ENVY’

  • Nobody knows what is going on behind the closed doors of other people. Maybe they pay a high price for their success.
  • Envy is like poison. It has a direct effect on your body and weakens it. Nelson Mandela once said that envy is like drinking poison, hoping that it might kill your enemies. Envy always works against you!
  • If you are envied, do not be offended or angry – the successful German TV presenter Robert Lembke used to say ‘Pity you get for free, envy you must earn’.
  • Watch yourself and recognize in which situations you feel envy and why. Only when you see through your behaviour patterns, can you consciously work on them.
  • Admit to your insecurity, your frustration or self-pity in connection with envy. You do not have to be ashamed! But the longer you suppress these emotions, the deeper you go down the spiral of envy.
  • Change your point of view of life, and abandon your role as a victim. As long as you believe you were disadvantaged as a child, and still are as an adult, you will always envy other people. Realize that other people’s lives, which you probably envy, are not perfect, or without problems.
  • Stop thinking about what is fair or not. You do not know about the higher plan behind other people’s lives. You have no idea about their learning tasks and developing steps, and what challenges they have to face. Maybe their hardest learning tasks feel easy for you.
  • Have the courage to change your living conditions if you are unhappy. Nagging, envy and moaning only cost valuable energy, but are of no use. Oh well, as the saying goes: change it, love it or leave it!

 

Women&Consciousness