Jealousy is a human experience. Whether we were the ones receiving it or the ones feeling it, we’ve all had our fair share of jealous feelings and behaviors. Despite the commonality of this emotion, jealousy could bring on challenges and issues in a romantic relationship that, when aggravated, could create distrust and eventually end the relationship. Couples need to take the necessary steps to overcome jealousy and cultivate a relationship that is connected, open, and loving.

Today, I share my thoughts on jealousy, its causes, and its effects. I explain how jealousy can force our partners to put up boundaries or even commit actions that foster distrust. I reveal how insecurities and low self-esteem can cultivate our tendency to be jealous and share some evolutionary perspectives on why we feel jealous. I share my personal experiences with jealousy and highlight the steps we can take to overcome these feelings. I also answer a listener’s question about how to move forward in a relationship without bringing emotional baggage, why couples need to focus on their willingness to examine and work through emotional hurts and difficulties, as well as highlight the importance of celebrating successes in overcoming emotional baggage. 

 

“No matter how jealous we feel, we need to find a way to come back to ourselves. Know that no matter how strong these feelings are, they will come and pass.” - Pripo Teplitsky

  

This week on Relationships! Let’s Talk About It:

• The detrimental impact of jealousy on our relationships and how they push our partners to put up boundaries
• The definition of jealousy and how it’s different from envy
• Common evolutionary explanations of jealousy
• The biggest driver and causes of jealousy
• How working on your sense of self can help soothe feelings of jealousy
• How open and honest communication can help couples overcome jealousy
• Why paranoid and obsessive tendencies can trap a person into jealousy
• How jealousy can make us block our partners
• Using humor and light-hearted conversations to address feelings of jealousy and anxiety
• How our inner critic perpetuates destructive thoughts and feelings
• Dealing with jealousy through acceptance and self-compassion

 

Listener Questions - Let’s Talk About It:

• How do you move forward in a new relationship without bringing emotional baggage?

 

Related Content:

• Emotional Infidelity: Is It Really Cheating?
• Transforming the Inner Critic
• The Art of Apology

 

Let’s Talk About It!

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Relationships! Let’s Talk About It - the show to help you forge deeper, more meaningful connections and relationships with those around you. If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please head over to Apple Podcasts, subscribe to the show, and leave us a rating and review.

If you have a relationship question you’d love to have answered, visit our podcast page to leave us a voice message. Your question may be featured on a future episode!

Don’t forget to visit our website, like us on Facebook at HeartShare Counseling, join our Relationships! Let’s Talk About It Facebook group, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Share your favorite episodes on social media to help others build better, more meaningful relationships.

And if our content has helped you forge deeper connections and more meaningful relationships, be sure to help support the show by visiting our Support the Podcast page!

Theme music “These Streets” provided by Adi the Monk