Jealousy. That green-eyed monster that can creep into every aspect of your life when you see that your friend or someone else has something or someone you don’t have.
Sure, jealousy is a natural human emotion that everyone experiences during their life. But it can be childish when taken to the extreme.
Jealousy is rooted in insecurity, but that doesn’t mean it cannot be tamed. You are in control of your own emotions, not the other way around.
Here are some practical ways to keep the green-eyed monster in the trunk.
#1. Don’t overthink.
Overthinking will only fuel the fire when it comes to being jealous. I have been working so hard on trying not to overthink, just overall.
If you know your S.O. has demanding work hours or that they go out to dinner with their co-workers during the week or on certain days, don’t go into panic mode if they don’t get back to you within a certain timeframe.
Overthinking can be minimized for both you and your S.O. when there is consistent honesty and openness in the relationship.
If that isn’t currently present in the relationship, focus on doing just that: being open, honest and consistent.
#2. Put things into perspective.
Emotions can cloud our judgment, whether it’s a little or a lot. Once they subside though, hopefully, our logical side will kick in and then we can see clearly.
When we overthink or overreact, it’s easy to lose sight of the big picture. And it happens to the best of us at least once or twice in our lifetime, so don’t feel guilty about it.
But in order to keep jealousy in the background, it’s vital to practice the act of putting things into perspective before the emotions come in and take over.
If your relationship is going great and there haven’t been any major concerns or issues, remind yourself of that when you’re tempted to assume the worst of your S.O. or the situation.
#3. If you have no reason to be jealous, dwell on the positives.
Has your S.O. given you a reason to be suspicious or jealous? If the answer is no, then remind yourself that it is what it is: an emotion, not the reality.
The best way to push these negative emotions aside is to think about and dwell on the positives of both your S.O. and the relationship.
If you’re jealous because he’s hanging out with his co-ed group of friends, and you’re worried he’ll step out on you, think of how faithful he’s been to you and the relationship.
Dwelling on your feelings of jealousy and negativity will only make them stronger and harder to push to the backseat.
#4. Have consistent and open communication with your S.O.
Reality check: no one is a mindreader.
No matter how close you and your S.O. are or how long you’ve been together, neither you or your S.O. will ever be able to read each other’s minds. That’s just human nature.
If there is honesty and open communication on a daily basis about everything, voluntarily from both sides, the presence of jealousy will be minimal.
It’s never too late to start having consistent honest and open conversations and communication with your S.O., and if you already have that, good for you!
#5. Always assume the best of your S.O.
As I mentioned before, if your S.O. has given you absolutely no reason for you to think he’s hurting or stepping out on you, always assume that their intentions are good.
That means not being negative about your S.O., not jumping to conclusions and not automatically thinking of the worst case scenario.
If it turns out that you have misinterpreted or overreacted, your S.O. may be hurt that you even thought that about them, which can damage your relationship.
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Reflect & Refresh 