Okay, I’m not the only person in the world to have a green eyed monster on my back. I know this. We all know this. And, we’re all guilty.
But, are we actually guilty? I mean, it’s a natural emotion. So why
do we all feel so damn bad about it every time we feel jealous?
Recently I’ve noticed that
I feel it perhaps a bit too much however. Strangely, it’s all towards people
that I don’t even know.
We are the first generation
of the digital age. We tweet, insta and post everything. We use our smartphones
purely to narrate and show off. A simple cinema trip has turned into a Facebook
check in, an Instagram of a Tango Iced Blast, a 100 second Snapchat story and a
brief review in a tweet.
As a result we’ve created a
whole new word just to define it. FOMO. Fear. Of. Missing. Out. Anxiety and
jealousy triggered by social media posts. The unbearable thought of somebody
having, or doing, something that you aren't.
I admit it.
I get jealous when I scroll
down Instagram and see a photo of pancakes without a shadow.
Or, a new MAC lipstick.
Or, a shot from an airplane
window.
(If you have Instagram then
you’ll know that it’s almost impossible to avoid these.)
I get jealous when somebody
uploads a killer selfie, wearing the dress that I wanted but didn’t have the
confidence to pull off. Or if somebody is being shown online signs of
affection.
It gets worse around this
time of year, when people are at festivals or on holiday and I am here.
I have spent the past two
months working full time in a restaurant, trying to squeeze in some freelance
work, trying to cut out carbs and trying to get six hours sleep at night.
Am I bitter? Am I
unappreciative? Or is this perfectly normal?
I have my health, I have a
summer job, I have my place at university to return to in September. Heck, I
have a wardrobe of clothes, make up, shoes. I have a family. Friends. My cat. A
Netflix subscription. I have strong ideas of what I want from the future and
evidence that I have worked for it.
Why do I feel so down in
the dumps and jealous? Why do I keep picking up my phone to torture myself
further with heartbroken ‘likes’.
Though the strange thing
is, we don’t look at it the other way.
We don’t know the full
story of anybody we are jealous of. We know their username and their filter.
Similarly, we don’t know
who is feeling jealousy towards us. Chances are, somebody is. Honestly, that's
probably our biggest motive of updating social media. To boast?
Because we all have
something that somebody else hasn’t got.
Like we can’t experience happiness
without sadness, perhaps we can’t feel appreciative without jealousy.
Though let’s vow next time
to perhaps try these out?
How to kick social media
jealousy in the ass
1. Make a list of all the great things you have. Yes, actually
use a pen.
2. Make a list of all the great qualities and achievements that
you have. Tell yourself these.
3. Compliment people, even if you are jealous, play nice. Be
joyous, you’d expect the same back, and you’ll feel better for doing so.
4. Give it ten minutes. Ever get that overwhelming surge of
jealousy? Take ten, distract yourself, let it pass. It isn’t the end of the
world.
5. Take more than ten, take a day or a week without social
media. Do something fun, and then TALK about it to somebody without posting it
up.
6. Wonder why you’re jealous in the first place, get your mind
straight and it’ll work better for you.
7. Stop thinking of them, and start thinking of you. Jealous of
an opportunity? Seek one for yourself. Jealous of a selfie? Try out a new hair
do.
8. Try not to worry about the people you don’t know, focus on
those that you do. Talk to them.
9. Don’t actively seek jealousy to annoy yourself. Ignore
posts, and try not to stalk.
10. Remember, social media is
not real life. Every coin has two sides.
You are more than your
artisan coffee.
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