Jealousy is one of those things that can creep up on you if you're not careful.
It can eat away at you - sometimes literally - and cause worry, stress and anger.
Here are some simple ways to overcome jealousy.
1.
Stop the comparison game Jealousy is often a game of comparing something with something else.
Whether it's the old proverb of the grass always being greener on the other side of the fence or looking for features in someone else that aren't present in the person you're jealous of.
You won't stop comparing overnight - it's human nature to a fair extent - but you can catch yourself when you're comparing in a way that makes you feel jealous and switch subjects.
Do this regularly and you'll find yourself playing the comparison game less often.
2.
Realize that we're all royalty nowadays In the western world our average standard of living surpasses that of royalty a mere hundred or two hundred years ago.
We have access to an almost unlimited variety of food and other luxuries.
So the next time you find yourself feeling jealous of someone because they have got something that you haven't, take a moment to reflect on the abundance that you accept just because it's there.
3.
Stop being so suspicious Jealousy and suspicion often go hand in hand.
We think that the person we're jealous of is probably hiding something from us.
Whether we're jealous of their oh-so perfect relationship (which is almost certainly anything but the truth if we only knew) or the loving relationship that our ex seems to be thrusting into our face at the slightest opportunity.
Your suspicions are almost certainly unfounded but even if they are true, what can you do about it? Just go with the flow and stop over-analyzing everything that you're suspicious and jealous of.
4.
Insecurity is normal - not just for teenagers A lot of jealousy stems from a feeling of insecurity.
Whilst this is an almost natural state for teenagers, we often let it follow us into later life.
We're insecure about everything we care about - our jobs, our partners, the houses we live in.
Anything and everything we care about we're probably jealous of - either jealously protecting it or coveting the same object if someone else we know has a better version (in our eyes).
Learn to turn your insecurity round and just accept and appreciate the things you've got for what they are.
5.
Be grateful for what you've got So often, we ignore what we've got.
We spend so much time being jealous of the things that other people have in their lives that we don't take the time to be grateful for the good things in our life.
And no matter how low you think you are or how deeply steeped in jealousy you have slipped, there's plenty of things to be grateful for.
Start with the really obvious stuff like the fact that you're still alive and breathing.
And move on to all the other things we take for granted - the ones that we'd probably be jealous if other people had them!