When you start working on your jealousy, the first step is creating awareness-not just of jealousy as a concept, but of your own specific experiences of it. For many people, this can be frustrating because they want to change it now. However, understanding and mapping out your jealousy is, in fact, an important action, even if it doesn’t feel like an immediate change. People vary in how they approach this process, so find a method that fits you. Here’s an exercise to get you started:
Reflecting on and understanding your jealousy
Step 1: Jealousy Reflection Journal
Reflective journaling can help you recognize patterns, identify triggers, and provide direction for managing jealousy. Here are some inputs to consider:
Identify the triggers: What happens just before you feel jealous? Who did what? What were you doing in that moment? Also look beyond the jealousy and consider other factors in your life, such as energy levels, sleep, feeling hungry, or other things that bother you such as work stress. Are there past experiences that might be contributing?
Identify what happens within you: When you feel jealous, what specific fears or insecurities arise? Where do you feel these sensations in your body? What emotions come up—think of jealousy as an “umbrella” emotion, comprising different feelings.
