On Jealousy

The other day, I was scrolling through my Facebook feed and a friend had posted an amazing video featuring Chelsea Handler. (Check the video out here!) I highly recommend checking it out, as it had a truly terrific message. For those of you who aren't going to watch it, a quick synopsis is that Chelsea speaks about jealousy, and how each and every one of us may be affected by it at times and how to deal with it. Ultimately, she states that jealousy is a normal feeling, but it doesn't have to be a bad thing. It is all in how you react to jealousy that can make it a bad thing. Two quotes I took away from the video are "I never blow out someone else's candle to make mine brighter" and that "what you have, no one else has."

This video came at a perfect time for me. Three years ago today, I was boarding a flight and moving to Sweden with my husband for a new adventure. Same thing two years ago. For hockey players who play in Europe and their families, the end of July and early August is the time of setting off on a new adventure, often heading to a new country with a new team. Throughout the season, they will have the opportunity to live in another country, experience a new lifestyle, and travel the world. Am I jealous of some of my friends that are going back? Yes, absolutely. Beyond just these people, there are many other people I could be jealous of for various reasons and things occurring in their lives. Some people have highly successful careers, some are at an exciting point in their life where they are planning their weddings, some are busy traveling the world, some are starting their own families and having children, some are buying houses or going on vacations, the list could go on and on. I feel like each and every single one of my friends and family members are doing exciting things right this very moment, and I could choose to be jealous of all of them and let that control me. Or, I could choose to be happy for them.

However, it is important to remember the message from this video. I'm sure anyone reading this can relate to feelings of jealousy. We can simply choose to focus on the positive things in our lives and recognize that each person's situation is different. Some of the amazing things happening in my life right now include purchasing a new home, starting a new job, and surrounding myself with friends and family who support me.

The quote of "I never blow out someone else's candle to make mine brighter" is perfect. If a friend has something awesome happen to them, I choose to be happy and celebrate with them. Because, again, "what you have no one else has." Each and every one of us has many different successes and things that we bring to the table that nobody else does, and that is what makes each situation unique. So, on this Monday and the first of the month, I encourage you to take this message with you and begin the month on a positive note!