Imagine that you’re lying in bed, staring at your phone screen, when all of a sudden your best friends post a Snapchat story. They’re going to a concert or traveling to your favorite place and you knew nothing about it. That’s the moment the little green monster comes out to play.

No one ever likes to admit they’re jealous. We hide it behind sarcasm and criticism as best we can, but we all experience it. We log onto Snapchat every day, and we see our best friends having great adventures – adventures they didn’t invite us to go on. We see people traveling the world and visiting amazing new places, and we immediately turn green with envy.

Jealousy can be a very slippery slope. It’s one thing to just be a little envious and move on. In fact, I think jealousy can be a great motivator sometimes! However, it’s an entirely separate situation when it creeps into your behavior and turns friendships or relationships into toxic mush.

When I see people plan or do things without me, I can’t help but be a little upset. It’s just who I am. I am overly sensitive and get upset over the smallest things. I recognize it as a fault I should probably learn to control, but I have yet to figure it all out. The problem is that I let it ruin my relationships with others. I project my insecurities onto them, and then I blame them for it. There’s no way to escape it anymore. With so many different social media platforms, there are a billion different lives being lived and stories being told, all of which seem much more fascinating than the life I currently lead.

Jealousy-prone people have this tendency to shut down and become grumpy people. I guess that’s why it’s a little green monster. And, of course, we never want to tell people that the reason we’re acting weird isn’t because we’re angry with their actions, we’re just envious. In fact, most people would prefer their friends believe it’s anger. Somehow that makes it seem less petty and childish.

I don’t know why I get jealous so easily. It boils up inside me until I finally shut down and stay away from anyone that might suffer my envy when it finally explodes. I still haven’t quite mastered the art of talking it out with the people who have what I would like to have. I imagine they’d be pretty understanding. Everyone, even if they aren’t extremely jealous people, has something they wish they had.

Maybe instead of sitting by silently, I could be more outgoing. Ask to go places with people, work hard toward buying my own car or phone and even get out there and go on dates! Be bold and brave and live a life that you would want other people to be jealous of.

When the little green monster comes out and starts shouting “Let’s play!” tell him kindly to leave. And if that doesn’t work, kick him out with all the force you can manage. You don’t need that in your life.