As a performer I can get extremely jealous.
Scratch that.
As a woman I can get extremely jealous.
Scrunch that up.
As I human I get extremely jealous.
Yes.
On Sunday I sung in just a wee soirée that my teacher puts on as a chance for her students to practice what they have been working on in front of an audience. It's a totally safe environment, and everyone sings songs they are comfortable with.
I found myself admiring the various performers but at the same time getting quite jealous and feeling rather inadequate that I can't or never will be able to sing like they will. It's a feeling that bubbles up every now and again, and it even used to control me.
One thing my 'journey of self-discovery' - which is a fancy name for growing up and dealing with life has made me appreciate the classic-
"Be yourself, everyone else is taken."
But when everyone else is better, thinner, smarter, richer than you, this can be hard to listen to.
You don't hear the "be yourself" or see what is great about you because your eyes are too green.
Before these feelings make you or me want to go under the knife, or get out a knife, let's step back and listen to logic.
Logically, I know what there is no way I can sing and make the same sound as someone else because my head isn't shaped the same as theirs and the way the sound resonates around and out of the body can't be replicated by someone of a different shape.
What?
So because my head is a different shape to Beyoncé's I need to stop being jealous of her singing.
And Beyoncé's head is a different shape to Delta Goodrem's so she should be jealous of her singing.
(Or lack thereof)
(Lol Beyoncé, jealous, as if.)
To want what you don't have, and always feel a huge amount of dissatisfaction when comparing to others is even more common now thanks to idolising celebrities and even your friends who can take perfect selfies, go on the best holidays and do the most amazing craft projects.
So whilst you or I are feeling jealous, others are probably feeling it too.
The way we perceive ourselves compared to how others perceive us is all relative to so many different factors like how we were bought up, what is important to us and our self-esteem.
Toss all these into a pot along with some of the latest social-media image crafting and a dash of failure to meet expectations, it's no wonder it turns us green with envy.
Green is the colour of trees.
Trees are natural.
Jealousy is natural.
Recognising it as natural, and not letting it overcome you is key.
What is even more key, is to focus on our own paths to complete so there is no need to compete.
"Today you are you, that's truer than true. There is no-one alive that's youer than you!"
-Dr Seuss
Jj
