Envy-Free in the New Year!

First of all - Happy new Year!

Second of all - do you feel like you've been left in the 2016 dust while everyone else has already successfully completed their 2017 resolutions?

You're not alone! You see, I'm at that age where all my friends are buying homes, getting married, and/or having babies. Meanwhile, I'm over here like, "what am I having for dinner tonight?"

I'm really in no rush, but it's hard not to compare your life to others, especially in this Digital Age (thanks, Zuckerberg).

Recently, however, a profound and complex thought came across my mind: who cares?

Who cares if my younger, distant cousin who lives across the country just got married? Who cares if the girl I grew up down the street from is pregnant? Who cares if a friend from high school just got listed in Forbes as part of "30 under 30"?

Look, don't take this the wrong way. Of course I care - it's all great news, and I'm happy these people are happy! But how, exactly, and WHY should I let this affect my level of happiness?

I'm happy too. I have a great job, a solid relationship, and amazing friends and family. I have hobbies. I'm in good health. I have a roof over my head.

But why is it that every time someone else does something cool with their life, I get a bit envious? Rather than trying to answer this question, I've decided to come up with some ideas for turning this negative emotion into a positive one:

1. Acknowledge your envy. Realize that this is an emotion. You are the creator of your own emotion. Therefore, you can choose how to filter and manipulate said emotion.

2. See the big picture. Try to see someone's happiness as a benefit to society as a whole. Someone else's success could directly bring well-being and profitability to your community.

3. Turn envy into self-love. Rather than focusing on what someone else has, concentrate on what you bring to the table. It's ok to be proud of your own accomplishments. Psssssttt: The Dale Carnegie Course is proven to build confidence and communication skills.

4. Turn self-love into inspiration. Get motivated to make your next move! If you feel envious, it's likely because you believe you have the potential to accomplish something you haven't yet tried to accomplish. Use that as inspiration to do something awesome.

That's all I've got for now. Feel free to build on this list in the comments!

Hannah

PS - I know you're just dying to know what's for dinner. It's tomato soup and grilled cheese. Because I'm an adult.