Who do you envy?
Discussion
Envy is a very negative emotion so probably something best kept to a minimum. Saying that…are there people that you do envy?
I am a bit envious of people that are good socially. I am introverted and a bit socially awkward and don’t naturally make strong connections with people (I do have some but only with family and close friends).
I think the main area of envy related to weight. I have struggled with it all of my adult life. I have never been really fat. Mostly I yo yo between being ok (BMI less than 25) and a bit overweight. However to maintain my weight I have to be unreasonably strict. I see some people at work who have three meals a day, snack, eat the cake and confectionery that is always left around and go out boozing yet they remain thin (there are those who do that and are fat of course!) I wish I could just eat and drink what I liked without it immediately turning into fat.
I am a bit envious of people that are good socially. I am introverted and a bit socially awkward and don’t naturally make strong connections with people (I do have some but only with family and close friends).
I think the main area of envy related to weight. I have struggled with it all of my adult life. I have never been really fat. Mostly I yo yo between being ok (BMI less than 25) and a bit overweight. However to maintain my weight I have to be unreasonably strict. I see some people at work who have three meals a day, snack, eat the cake and confectionery that is always left around and go out boozing yet they remain thin (there are those who do that and are fat of course!) I wish I could just eat and drink what I liked without it immediately turning into fat.
My Dad always used to say there's always two sides to a story. He was bang on. One may look at another with envious eyes but scratch the surface and you will always find something that changes your perception.
Some years back, I got to know a very wealthy chap - a client of the company I worked for. He'd just sold one of his businesses which netted him £40m. My educated guess was he had a nett worth of around £70m. Outwardly - he had it all; the cars, the houses, the boats, the looks. Odd then that he revealed to me once that he genuinely envied me!
He'd been married three times. Had two grown up sons he hadn't seen or been part of their life for over 10 years. Had no mates and had developed a social insecurity that prevented him making any - always suspicious of those with whom he started to become close with. He had amassed all this wealth yet had absolutely nobody to share it or his life with. He suffered from what at the time was quite a debilitating depression.
Envy is a negative emotion. It can also be damaging if you lack the ability to match whatever it is you are envious about and not everyone can.
Jealously's a bit different. If mate revealed that he's won a full, access-all areas paddock pass and hospitality for the Grand Prix this weekend, I'd be very Jealous. But I wouldn't envy him, good on him...... the spawny b
d! 
Some years back, I got to know a very wealthy chap - a client of the company I worked for. He'd just sold one of his businesses which netted him £40m. My educated guess was he had a nett worth of around £70m. Outwardly - he had it all; the cars, the houses, the boats, the looks. Odd then that he revealed to me once that he genuinely envied me!
He'd been married three times. Had two grown up sons he hadn't seen or been part of their life for over 10 years. Had no mates and had developed a social insecurity that prevented him making any - always suspicious of those with whom he started to become close with. He had amassed all this wealth yet had absolutely nobody to share it or his life with. He suffered from what at the time was quite a debilitating depression.
Envy is a negative emotion. It can also be damaging if you lack the ability to match whatever it is you are envious about and not everyone can.
Jealously's a bit different. If mate revealed that he's won a full, access-all areas paddock pass and hospitality for the Grand Prix this weekend, I'd be very Jealous. But I wouldn't envy him, good on him...... the spawny b
d! I’m not envious of any specific person or people
The thing I am envious of is some people’s ability to take much more risk career wise than me and reap the rewards as a result. I have worked with quite a few people who aren’t hugely more capable than me but were prepared to give a go and have done well as a result.
It’s a regret now but I’m at a point in my career when the risk/effort isn’t worth the reward any more.I’ve done ok though so not particularly bitter about it
The thing I am envious of is some people’s ability to take much more risk career wise than me and reap the rewards as a result. I have worked with quite a few people who aren’t hugely more capable than me but were prepared to give a go and have done well as a result.
It’s a regret now but I’m at a point in my career when the risk/effort isn’t worth the reward any more.I’ve done ok though so not particularly bitter about it
Skeptisk said:
Envy is a very negative emotion so probably something best kept to a minimum. Saying that…are there people that you do envy?
I am a bit envious of people that are good socially. I am introverted and a bit socially awkward and don’t naturally make strong connections with people (I do have some but only with family and close friends).
I think the main area of envy related to weight. I have struggled with it all of my adult life. I have never been really fat. Mostly I yo yo between being ok (BMI less than 25) and a bit overweight. However to maintain my weight I have to be unreasonably strict. I see some people at work who have three meals a day, snack, eat the cake and confectionery that is always left around and go out boozing yet they remain thin (there are those who do that and are fat of course!) I wish I could just eat and drink what I liked without it immediately turning into fat.
Have you considered Weight Watchers? You'll get to meet like-minded people and keep the flab down. You'll potentially deal with both your concerns in one fell swoop.I am a bit envious of people that are good socially. I am introverted and a bit socially awkward and don’t naturally make strong connections with people (I do have some but only with family and close friends).
I think the main area of envy related to weight. I have struggled with it all of my adult life. I have never been really fat. Mostly I yo yo between being ok (BMI less than 25) and a bit overweight. However to maintain my weight I have to be unreasonably strict. I see some people at work who have three meals a day, snack, eat the cake and confectionery that is always left around and go out boozing yet they remain thin (there are those who do that and are fat of course!) I wish I could just eat and drink what I liked without it immediately turning into fat.
I compare myself to people all the time, usually those who are wealthy or are in better shape than me. But they probably don't get to spend as much time with their family as I do, either because they're slaving away at work or in the gym all evening. so I don't dwell on it too much.
There are two kinds of people that I truly envy though, those who have found a career doing something they are interested in and genuinely enjoy, and those kids you see pulling perfect, near vertical wheelies on their mountain bikes. I've never been able to wheelie (I can ride a unicycle so you'd think there would be some transferable skills but no).
There are two kinds of people that I truly envy though, those who have found a career doing something they are interested in and genuinely enjoy, and those kids you see pulling perfect, near vertical wheelies on their mountain bikes. I've never been able to wheelie (I can ride a unicycle so you'd think there would be some transferable skills but no).
Edited by Discendo Discimus on Friday 5th July 11:34
I have flashes of envy all the time. See someone with a nice car, nice house, material goods etc. Lasts for a few seconds, then I consider my life and realise I'm happy as I've got it good, and have lots to look forward to.
It's actually quite useful since it makes me think positively of my own situation often.
It's actually quite useful since it makes me think positively of my own situation often.
I go through phases of being envious of people.
It probably doesn't help that the majority of people I went to school and uni with are all pretty successful while I have made some slightly unusual career decisions leaving me in effectively a trainee position at 32. But then I remember that I love the town I live in and have a beautiful wife, daughter and dog.
More money would make things a lot easier though.
It probably doesn't help that the majority of people I went to school and uni with are all pretty successful while I have made some slightly unusual career decisions leaving me in effectively a trainee position at 32. But then I remember that I love the town I live in and have a beautiful wife, daughter and dog.
More money would make things a lot easier though.
BigGingerBob said:
I go through phases of being envious of people.
It probably doesn't help that the majority of people I went to school and uni with are all pretty successful while I have made some slightly unusual career decisions leaving me in effectively a trainee position at 32. But then I remember that I love the town I live in and have a beautiful wife, daughter and dog.
More money would make things a lot easier though.
I was thirty-five when I started my first business. You’re only a puppy.It probably doesn't help that the majority of people I went to school and uni with are all pretty successful while I have made some slightly unusual career decisions leaving me in effectively a trainee position at 32. But then I remember that I love the town I live in and have a beautiful wife, daughter and dog.
More money would make things a lot easier though.
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