How to Tell If Someone Is Jealous of You
The phenomenon of jealousy is more common than it might seem. Sometimes it’s enough to get a promotion, go on a nice vacation, or get married to provoke envy in people, even in close friends. You might be a humble person with a ton of admirable qualities, but there will still be people who won’t feel particularly happy about it. 5-Minute Crafts is here to help you detect the first signs of jealousy in the people surrounding you.
1. They criticize everything about you.
People who feel envious of you will most likely start criticizing everything you do and tend to analyze each move you make. They will do all they can to find your flaws and put you down just to feel better about themselves. The main goal is to make you question your self-confidence and talent and become aware of each one of your so-called “mistakes.”
Just remember their criticism has little to do with who you are and what you’ve done. Some experts say it’s a result of their own low self-esteem.
2. They hate to see you getting compliments.
People who feel jealous of you will hate to see you happy and winning in life. That means they will feel bad when you receive signs of recognition and appreciation. Even if you have worked hard to get where you are, they will fail to suppress their envy. However, they might never show it clearly, but you will notice their envy and irritation in their facial expression whenever you receive a compliment. Again, it is a sign of their own insecurities.
3. They always compare your life with theirs and undermine your struggles.
You’ll know a person is very envious of you if he or she tries to undermine your achievements by saying that you got everything served to you on a silver platter or had an easier path to it. This means they will try to find ways to justify your much-deserved success by insisting you had it all easier than them, especially if they had to go through more hardships in life than you. Your effort and success will just go unnoticed when it comes to them.
4. They make fun of you and copy you at the same time.
Another typical sign of envy is when the person who is trying to put you down is actually copying you as well. They will point out your flaws and put you down in public but secretly also work on themselves to become more like you. An example of this behavior is a person who leads an unhealthy lifestyle and bashes those who work out and eat clean but, at the same time, understands that what fit people have is worthy of having. Humiliating others is a way for them to feel better about themselves, but they are aware of their own problems.
5. They are not there for you when you’re happy and successful.
Although there are some people who will stay by your side while you are overachieving and then disappear, it’s the opposite situation with jealousy. As long as you are being successful and living your dream life, they will slink away. This happens because your success reminds them of their own insecurities and shortcomings and even increases those feelings. In such a scenario, they just prefer not to be around you.
6. They give you false compliments.
False compliments come from false or secretly jealous friends. A friend who can’t help feeling envious of you will make you believe he or she likes you or praises you when, in fact, they don’t mean what they say. The moment you are away, they tend to badmouth you.
7. They give you advice that might actually sabotage you.
Some people deal with their feelings of jealousy by trying to think of strategies that will pull you down. They will do their best to convince you to follow their advice — which might be the worst advice ever — so that they ensure you fail. Again, such behavior stems from their self-confidence issues, and you should be careful with these kinds of people in case you notice a red flag.
8. Their compliments may sound insulting.
It’s wise to also pay attention to the tone of praise coming from others. A friend who opts for passive-aggressive behavior might be drowning you in compliments but with a hidden message that may actually be an insult, like, “That’s amazing, but it’s unusual for them to hire people with such a lack of experience, but congratulations.”