The Wisdom of Envy

The Science and Soul of Living Well

In this episode I talk about envy and the ways in which we can learn from its wisdom. I begin by talking about the neuroscience of envy and the ways in which it serves an important purpose in our lives, even though envy can be extremely painful and has its potential harms and costs. When we know how to work with and learn from envy, we can relate to it in a way that helps us meet unmet needs and live in closer alignment with ourselves and our values. In addition to offering some key strategies that can help envy become a less dominant force in our lives, I'll also share a meditation that I created focused on learning from the wisdom of envy. I hope this meditation will support you in navigating envy when it shows up in your life. Although I invite you to listen to the whole episode in order to help contextualize the meditation and understand the intention of each component, the meditation begins at 45:58.

To connect more with Dr. Foynes:

1. Check out the free 4-part video series on building resilience: https://melissafoynes.com/free-series

2. 1:1 Coaching Program: https://melissafoynes.com/1-1-program

3. Follow @drfoynes on Instagram.

References & Additional Resources

1. Kristal, A. C., O’Brien, E., & Caruso, E. M. (2019). Yesterday’s news: A temporal discontinuity in the sting of inferiority. Psychological science, 30(5), 643-656.

2. Takahashi, H., Kato, M., Matsuura, M., Mobbs, D., Suhara, T., & Okubo, Y. (2009). When Your Gain Is My Pain and Your Pain Is My Gain: Neural Correlates of Envy and Schadenfreude Science, 323 (5916), 937-939.

Please note that the information provided in this episode does not constitute professional advice or therapy, mental health services, or health care services, and is not intended to serve as a substitute for professional advice or services. If you are struggling with a mental health crisis or need immediate assistance, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.