Writer: Nada el Nady
You know that dreadful feeling you experience when your friend forgets to buy you a birthday gift but doesn’t forget to buy one for his/her new friend? Or when your boyfriend/girlfriend likes their ex’s recent post? Or when your parents give your younger siblings more attention than you? Yes, fella humans, that’s nothing other than jealousy itself in all its unfading glory. Jealousy is found almost everywhere; from your dog being jealous of the new puppy you bought or a 3-year old kid feeling jealous of the family’s newborn baby, every person has the capability of feeling such kind of emotion due to the lingering fear that one day, our loved ones will find others to replace us.
Usually, jealousy is sparked when an individual feels a threat towards a certain, valued relationship that feelings of overprotectiveness and irrational thinking are triggered within him/her. He/she is usually insecure in general and believes that at a certain moment, someone is bound to steal what they treasure from in between their fingers. Sometimes, extreme feelings of jealousy can even lead to the end of certain relationships.
It is normal to always feel a little jealous during any relationship at any time; it’s solely a pure, natural instinct present in all of us. Such emotion, if in moderation, is not considered as a negative sign. On the contrary, if partners don’t feel possessive and overprotective of each other, then the relationship is bound to fail.
So, what can we actually do to at least reduce the extremity of this feeling inside us and prevent possible clashes with others? First of all, you should actually discuss the issue with your partner. They won’t always understand that those feelings are out of pure love and admiration, so try to make them understand that. However, the way in which you confess such type of intense emotion should be in a soft, acceptable tone for the other person not to interpret it the wrong way.
Appreciating yourself is another way with which you can reduce your feelings of jealousy. Since jealousy, as mentioned above, is a result of the insecurities blinding a person’s vision, self-love and appreciation are ways with which you can limit your insecurities and not allow them to keep on controlling your life.
Trust your partner, and don’t always hold grudges against past relationships and expect the same outcome every single time. Not all partners cheat, and every failed relationship is in fact, a lesson learned. If you build your relationship on love and trust, nothing can break the bond you have created; neither your insecurities, nor jealousy.
