Yesterday morning we woke up to the news that our Olympic skier won her medal! Congratulations to her! Well deserved! Yes, she wanted the gold, but bronze is certainly nothing to scoff about!

Or is it?

The same people who were commenting all over social media about how much she deserved to lose because she didn’t have the same political ideas as they have are now talking about her being a loser because she lost the gold and only got bronze!

Seriously? Talk about people who have nothing better to do with their life!

But these people are not only haters, they’re jealous. And jealous people will sometimes go out of their way to put people down because they envy them so much. Their jealousy takes over and begins to consume them.

In this particular case, they’re jealous of a young woman who has worked almost all her life at a sport she loves, becoming without a doubt one of the best in her field. Like other Olympians, she trains hard, fights through pain and injury, and continues to work at what she loves to become the very best she can be. She’s won countless awards for skiing during her career, and this Olympics is most likely her last one before she retires.

And she won a bronze medal! Yes, she trained and wanted the gold so bad she could taste it, but she WON, not the prize she aspired, but she’s still a winner!

To her detractors, could YOU do that? Let’s see you try! I know I certainly couldn’t do it. But I enjoyed watching her live her dream. Not many of us get that same opportunity.

Jealousy is a powerful human emotion. It’s also a negative emotion, and very often aligns itself with its best friend Hate to take out its wrath of envy on those that are successful in doing something they love.

Why? Are they that insecure? That they have to put others down to make themselves look better, look more important? It does just the opposite, you know.

Jealousy can be all-consuming, if we allow it. That’s not healthy. It can totally ruin our lives. And sometimes other people’s lives.

It’s not referred to as “the green-eyed monster” for no reason.

All of us at one time or another have been a bit envious, a bit jealous of other people for one reason or another.

Jealous of the one who gets a promotion we think is undeserved. How do we know it’s undeserved? Obviously the supervisor thought it was deserved.

Jealous of someone selected for a position we don’t think they’re qualified for or don’t deserve. And they may not; but someone thought they did.

Or maybe you’re jealous that someone you know just bought a home, or a car, like you want, but can’t afford. “Why them?” you ask. “Why not me?” Maybe they’ve worked harder, saved more money than you. Maybe you should adjust things you’re doing to be able to do the same.

Maybe you’re jealous that friends are taking a vacation to somewhere you’ve always wanted to go, but you’re staying home.

Or you’re secretly jealous of your best friend who’s getting married…and you’re not even dating anyone. You put on a good show, but down inside that green eyed monster is clawing at your insides, just waiting to jump out and strike.

Or you’re jealous of someone you think is prettier than you are, has better hair, a nicer body, etc.

Yes, jealousy happens all the time. In both big and small ways.

But when taken to the extreme, it can become debilitating. It can turn into depression. Anger. Or if left unchecked, even violence.

Jealousy can happen when we don’t feel good about ourselves, for any number of reasons. Or when we think we’re owed something in life that others seem to be getting and we’re not.

It’s a natural human emotion. But certainly not a healthy one. And when that jealousy turns into hate towards others, you start to lose yourself, your sense of reality, and enter into a dark place that’s definitely not where you want to be.

And jealousy leads you nowhere. It holds you back from becoming what you want to be, who you want to be, because your energy is so focused on someone else and what they have, you lose sight of what you have, and what you want to be.

Jealousy is a green eyed monster that can devour you, if you’re not careful.

Are you going to let that happen, or are you going to tell that green eyed monster to go away? And concentrate on making yourself into the person you want to be.

Not someone you’re jealous of.