Language shapes mind. We have as many emotions as we have words to name these emotions. I was surprised to learn that many people in the US do not see the difference between envy and jealousy. I even had to explain this difference to my students, who are learning to become psychotherapists. Semantically, these two words are tied together in the English language. Word jealousy is often used to describe both emotional states. Meanwhile, envy and jealousy are two different emotions. Jealousy is related to relationships. Let’s say you are in love and you notice that your partner likes someone else. It doesn’t need to be another potential romantic partner; it can be someone they like, a celebrity,someone they love, a family member, or a friend. The main characteristic of jealousy is this uncomfortable feeling, which comes up when the attention of someone you care about is directed towards a third party. In comparison, envy is tied to our desires. In French, the word envie is used to describe a burning passion. So when you see that another person has something you want, you feel envy. It’s tough for many people to admit that they feel envy because deep inside, we think it’s not okay to feel this emotion, and at the end of the day, it’s one of the mortal sins. However, my studies show that envy can be helpful if we refrain from it. We need to de-villianize envy and see it as a diagnostic of our needs, and then we can use it as fuel to achieve what we want instead of feeling depressed and comparing ourselves to others. What do you envy? Let’s have a conversation!