5 Ways to Deal with Envy and Feel More Satisfied

This article is part of a series on how to cope with common feelings that can be tough to experience. Here, experts provide simple strategies for acknowledging and managing feelings of envy.

Your best friend got a new car, and you’ve been driving yours for 10 years. Your classmate got a good grade on the final exam, but you got a D. Your sister got diamond studs for her birthday, and you’ve wanted a pair forever. If you can’t help but yearn to be in their shoes instead of your own, you’re feeling envy.

What Is Envy?

Envy is the longing or painful feeling for what someone else has. This might leave you feeling unhappy and resentful. “Essentially it’s about wanting something or someone that you feel you can’t have,” says Tess Brigham, a licensed therapist who practices in San Francisco.