Member-only story
Envy Is Not A Sin. Ignoring It Is.
How to reap the benefits of envy
My neighbors had built themselves a mansion. The envy was driving me mad. Their villa was modern and spacious. The glass front on the second floor offered a magnificent view of a quiet river in front of a lush forest.
It was no doubt the most beautiful home in the neighborhood. It was my dream home. I woke up full of envy every day.
Since I am not usually prone to envy, this was a new situation for me. I enjoy seeing others succeed. This time, it was different. This time, I could not be happy for my neighbors, because they had exactly what I wanted to have.
All I could think was how unfair life is. Why did they get to live my dream life? They were rich, healthy, and loved their work.
I knew the chances were high that I would never be able to afford the same. That thought sent me further down a spiral of envy and self-pity.
I was angry at myself. Why was I losing my way like that? Drooling in self-pity and envy was a behavior I didn’t want to show.
Yet, after brooding over this for a few weeks, I realized I could learn a lot from it. And so can you if you find yourself in a similar situation.
