Envy Demands A Lot From Our Brain
‘Multiple brain regions are responsible for creating the emotion of envy.’ - Dr. Mehmet Yildiz
Reading, How to Replace Envy with Admiration by Dr Mehmet Yildiz and this piece not only educated me but blew me away.
When we feel envy, we experience discontent and resentment. It usually occurs when we see qualities, possession, and fortune in others that we don’t have and a strong desire to have them. When we engage in social comparisons, we may experience the emotion of envy naturally.
I experience envy a lot. I don’t think of myself as beautiful, but others do. I am not wealthy, but I can pay all my bills a few days before due. My needs are simple, and I am satisfied with my life. Gratitude is one of my anthems. I am working on my wants. I am weird, and I know myself, my weakness, and my strength. I know what I can do, can’t do, will do, and want to do. I’m often resented for my confidence. Knowing yourself will diminish self-esteem issues. I have lots of qualities that bring me resentment and enemies. I am so busy living and fighting life while enjoying and learning from your actions, choices, and decisions; I really don’t have the time to envy you. I love my life, and I will not change places with you or anyone else where I am right now.
The researchers pointed out that findings explained why individuals with high emotional intelligence exhibit less envy.
So that’s why you and I don’t envy anyone.
In my younger years, I used to envy the excellent academics that I followed.
I must thank Dr. Mehmet Yildiz for being honest. I believe in myself, and I know that success comes with many trials, errors, and pain. And from my experience, unethical behavior and some dishonesty is included in the package for some people. When we envy others, the package comes with everything they do to succeed that you can’t see. Not only the victory you can identify.
We make evaluations and comparisons using our cognitive brain. However, another brain region called the anterior cingulate cortex is activated in terms of comparisons. This paper in Nature explains an experiment to shed light on the subject. So, my point is multiple brain regions are responsible for creating the emotion of envy.
So, studies say it takes more than one emotion and action to envy others. This is a lot of wasted brain power that should be used to do better things. I wonder if it takes the same amount of brainpower to be kind to others? Positive results, along with love, stem from kindness. It’s the opposite of envy.
Envy is natural, but we have the choice to acknowledge this emotion, feel its effects for a little while, and quickly tap into our cognitive system to make a quick assessment and make the intention for creating admiration.
However, after I learned to transfer envy to admiration quickly, I felt a remarkable shift and liberation in my psychological well-being.
Envy is a weapon we use to harm ourselves and others. Study yourself, your actions, choices, and decisions. Be honest and genuine to yourself because that’s the only way healing and change will happen.
Thanks, Doc, you have just made my day with your mighty and honest power of words. Everyone, you got to read this piece. All of us are in it.
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