How I Tamed My Envy of Almost Everyone but Especially Elizabeth Gilbert
Kirsten Powerskirstenpowers.substack.com
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How I Tamed My Envy of Almost Everyone but Especially Elizabeth Gilbert
It’s the almost-ness of envy that kills, as Garnett points out in her essay—the fact that it could have or should have been us. She quotes Aristotle’s Rhetoric : “We envy those who are near us in time, place, age, or reputation … those whose possession of or success in a thing is a reproach to us: these are our neighbors and equals; for it is clear... See more
Jennifer Senior • It’s Your Friends Who Break Your Heart
ON ENVY
Self-awareness can help you turn your feelings into something useful, so the next time envy rears its head, ask yourself:
—What do they have that makes me feel less than?
—What void do I believe having it would fill?
—Do I really want what they have?
—If yes, how much, and is it worth taking action to try to get it for myself?
The... See more
We feel envy when someone else has access to an area of happiness that eludes us. The natural response to this feeling is shame; we feel we lack the generosity of spirit to celebrate their achievement.
The School of Life • How to Think More Effectively: A guide to greater productivity, insight and creativity (Work series)
Instead of letting envy turn you into the pettiest version of yourself, you can understand that within the thing you envy is a truth about what you should be working toward, not what you should be criticizing someone else for having.