By Mariah Bennett | Staff Writer

The green-eyed monster is an ever-present menace in a lot of people’s lives. It may feel inescapable, but there are ways to combat jealousy in a healthy manner.

Young adults were reported to be more envious than older adults in a 2015 study published in the Journal of Basic and Applied Social Psychology by the University of California San Diego. More than three-fourths of the study participants reported experiencing envy in the last year.

So if you’re jealous of someone or something, you aren’t a bad person; you’re average. In fact, it’s even been reported as a positive thing in certain situations.

A 2021 study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that friendship jealousy — regarding new friendships or romantic relationships — can help keep and protect the original friendship.

So when it comes to jealousy, it is how you deal with the emotion that makes or breaks who you are.

An article by PsychAlive gave six tips to deal with jealousy, applicable to multiple situations. Along with them are my own takes.

1. Consider what’s being triggered

Why do you feel this way? Is this triggering an old situation?

2. Calm down and stay vulnerable

Don’t feed your negative fire. Acknowledge it and find a way to calm down and ride through the emotion.

3. Don’t act out

This is the most important, in my opinion. At the end of the day, internal emotions pass — actions, especially negative ones, don’t.

4. Seek your own sense of security

Insecurity is the biggest trigger of jealousy, in my opinion, and we all have insecurities. Remember who you are. Remember your past accomplishments and internal features.

5. Stay competitive

I feel that setting personal goals rather than competing negatively with another is a very productive way of dealing with jealousy. Whether it be a personal or professional situation, being determined to advance and grow yourself is very attractive and admirable and a way to be proud of yourself.

6. Talk about it

If the other steps don’t help with your emotions, don’t hold it in. Find a trusted confidant to speak to about your emotions in order to try to figure out why you feel this way, without hurting others. There are productive, positive ways to move forward.

In my opinion, jealousy can be a spark to take a different path in whatever situation it comes out in. It is an opportunity to be positive and to inspire yourself and others with your attitude.