Is someone cruel to be kind or are they really just jealous?

By: Lori McMullin, APR

Director of Business Operations & Communications
Center for Business Excellence

Most of us think of children competing for their mother’s attention or dogs fighting over a bone when we think of jealousy.  As adults, we are supposed to be self-actualized and far beyond the capability of being jealous, right?  Or are we?

Whether you encounter jealous behavior in a volunteer group, at work or among friends and family, it does exist.

A few months ago, I had a guest in my new home for dinner. I was so proud of what my husband and I had accomplished beautifying our home in such a short time frame.

I should have known the evening would be a disaster when the first words out of the guest’s mouth were, “Are you depressed?  Your home is so drab!” 

I know, right?  Who says something like that?

In any case, it took several days to shake the evening’s transpirations off and I ultimately realized the guest, for some reason, acted terribly out of jealousy. 

Here’s a link to understanding jealous behavior and how to constructively deal with it:

http://www.howtodothings.com/family-relationships/how-to-deal-with-jealous-people