How can we overcome envy for others?

How can we overcome envy for others?
There are three key things we can do to deal with envy: change our vision of Divinity, change our vision of Others, and change our vision of Self. We can remember this with the acronym DOS — Divinity, Others, and Self.

1. Divinity

If we understand that everything happens according to a divine plan, and that everyone has their own time to flourish, we can avoid becoming emotionally overwhelmed with negativity when others seem to be thriving while we are struggling.

Consider life as a multi-stage play, where different characters have prominent roles at different points. God is like the director of this play. Instead of resenting that others are getting bigger roles than we are right now, we can focus on playing our part well, knowing that our time will come. Everyone will have their moment — we just need to be patient and stay prepared.

2. Others

We usually envy others’ achievements — their success, recognition, or possessions. But instead of focusing on their outcomes, we can shift our attention to their commitment.

When we see someone being praised or succeeding, we may feel irritated, thinking, “They don’t deserve it,” or “I deserved it more.” But in most cases, success isn’t easy to achieve. Even if someone is highly talented or unusually fortunate, it’s often because of effort they’ve put in — either in this life or as a result of their past karma.

By recognizing the hard work and dedication behind others’ success, we can choose to be inspired rather than envious. This shift in vision helps us learn and grow instead of burning in negativity.

3. Self

When it comes to ourselves, we need to move away from insecurity and toward a sense of purpose. If we truly believe that everyone has a role to play and a time to play it, we can stop comparing and start contributing.

We can focus on discovering the gifts we have, developing those gifts through disciplined effort, and finally directing them in a spirit of service and contribution. This will give us a deep sense of satisfaction — one that isn’t dependent on being better than others, but on becoming the best version of ourselves.

In summary:
To overcome envy, we must recognize that in the divine plan, there is a role, a place, and a time for everyone. Others are playing their part with commitment, from which we can learn. And we can look at ourselves positively and purposefully, choosing to discover, develop, and direct the gifts we’ve been given.

Thank you.