Jackie Imondi
Copy Editor/Contributing Writer
Jealousy, like pretty much everything else in life, is fine in moderation.
Sometimes, though, jealousy can get the best of us, and we react to situations in a way that may not be the way we thought we would react. Jealousy has a way of messing with our heads and can make us blow things out of proportion. Itβs a powerful thing, and I have watched it tear apart couples who seemed perfect together, besides their complete lack of trust of one another.
We get jealous because it is a normal emotion, I mean, even Nick Jonas admits he gets jealous… We feel jealous when weβre afraid that someone will take something we have, not like envy, which is when we want what another person has. Often, people think jealousy is a bad thing because they think it means theyβre weak or insecure. Indeed, jealousy is an emotion rooted in self-consciousness, but thatβs okay. We have the right to be insecure about some things, and as great of a world it would be if we were all full of self-confidence all of the time, we do have moments when we get down on ourselves. And thatβs okay, too.
Itβs really important to try not to let jealousy get the best of you. I know that is so much harder to do than to just say, but it could make life that much easier if you do. Being jealous can make us angry or sad and can make us say things that we donβt really mean to the people we really care about. And if you donβt talk to those people about the way you are feeling, then your anger and sadness may be misdirected or misunderstood, and that can cause a bunch of other problems.
Jealousy isnβt the real issue; itβs the way we deal with it. You can get jealous and just not act on it. Managing your emotions in a relationship, a relationship ranging one with a commitment or just one with a friend, can be tough and itβs important to feel comfortable enough with your partner or friend to be able to talk about the way you feel. Insecurities suck, but they happen, so talk about them. It may not be a good idea, however, to try to force your partner or friend to change his or her behavior in order to make you feel more comfortable in the relationship. Compromise is key in any relationship.
No one can tell you how you should feel, but you should never have a problem telling someone how you feel. Itβs okay to admit when youβre having feelings of jealousy or when feeling afraid of losing someone you want to hold on to, you just have to get comfortable with talking about those feelings. So take the first step and start talking.