This 1 Strategy Helps Me Each Time the Green Eyed Monster Rears Its Ugly Head

Victory is mine, jealousy: Response to the Narrative Collective’s November prompt “Falling”

Did you think I don’t get jealous?

Are you kidding? In case you haven’t noticed, I am human too, with all the trappings both good and not-so-good.

Last night, I woke up at 2 am, restless and a little depressed.

Yup, it was the green-eyed monster at it again. Over the years, I’ve learned how to deal with it — by giving it a proper ass whopping.🥊 That’s right.

And it usually gets the job done and I can get right back to sleep.

But sometimes it doesn’t. That’s when I burn the midnight oil, not toiling away at my budding writing side hustle as you may think but instead, silently crying over my past, and sometimes my present and on occasion, my future.

Falling back into doom and gloom

I wish we didn’t have this darn thing called social media. For a writer, it is a part of life but no matter how hard I try to stick strictly to biz, some things have this nasty habit of sneaking through the firewalls I’ve carefully set up.

You see, I left social media a long time because my married life came with an expiry date. No more pix of the lovey-dovey couple in exotic locales, looking good and doing enviable things.

Lol. If only people knew what went on behind the scenes of that lovely couple. Well, now some of us know so I saw no point in keeping up the charade. So I deleted everything and was better for it, mentally and emotionally.

At the end of the day it’s mostly about the images on social media, isn’t it? You are creating an alternate life, the perfect one you only wish you had. Nothing is as it seems.

All for a few Oohhs and Aahhs.

You can be depressed AF but SMILE!

You can’t stand to be in the same room with your partner but SMILE!

Your partner is cheating on you or you have a feeling that they are but SMILE!

You don’t have a penny in the bank but SMILE!

Oh, what an adorable couple! I wish my partner was as romantic! Why can’t he be as romantic? Why can’t I have such a beautiful life as them? I hate her! She has everything! All I have is this stupid, average life, with everyday problems that never end.

Mission accomplished.

They get their followers and likes. What do you get? A boatload of sour grapes, that’s what.🍇

The same thing goes on this platform.

You see some writers making it because they say so and you look at your stats and are ready to throw in the towel.

Don’t.

Remember, you are on your own journey. Nothing happens overnight without blood, sweat, and tears. But when that happens, it is totally worth it.

So each time that green-eyed monster rears up, do not fall. Instead, get into that ring and show ’em who’s da boss.

Related reading by Yana BG

This post was in response to Sally Prag’s prompt for The Narrative Collective👇