In Aerial Arts, it Ain't Easy Being Green...with Envy!

That bendy girl in class with flawless oversplits. The tiny one with superhuman strength. It’s hard to resist the instinct to compare yourself to others, or maybe the girl who gets all those dirty looks isyou. 

But whether you've been a target or an instigator, envy is a destructive emotion that can really hurt. 

Most of us are painfully familiar with both of these roles, but it's not socially acceptable to openly acknowledge them in a healthy way. This spring, let's take a look at the color green and its associated emotion: Envy. 

To be green with envy is not exactly a state to which anyone aspires. Envy is one of the deadly sins, but unlike some of the others, this one is no fun at all. In the verdant world of aerial arts, envy is not discussed much as of yet. But we can take a few cues from our elder, more established sister of the performing arts: Dance. Her words of wisdom translate readily into the dance that we take to the air.

Dance Magazine normalizes the experience of envy, encouraging us to feel it and discuss it with a trusted person, lest one's artistry be negatively affected. When experiencing feelings, don't turn it on others. Instead, use it as fuel to fire your own movement practice. “There's a delicate balance between homing in on your growth and beating yourself up,” says Kathryn Holmes, a dancer based in Brooklyn, NY.

Envy and jealousy ring on different notes of our psyche, but they can each cause dreadful feelings and behavior. 

Dance Spirit reports how we can experience both edges of the green-eyed monster's sword. When we're in an environment where dancers or aerialists are constantly imitating one another, it can create a culture of unhealthy competition. The art form as a whole can suffer. But when we can channel jealous or envious impulses into motivation for our own personal game, everyone grows.

If you find yourself the object of jealousy, don’t let it get to you. However, it’s important to remember that others often feel jealousy due to their own insecurities. A few words of encouragement, or pointing out something that others do well can really go a long way to creating a healthy environment of collaboration. And although it's not easy, when we are the target of envy andher sister, the Bully, you might deflect her with avoidance, compassion, gratitude, and sending benevolent energy. All from a safe distance, of course. 

Finally, let’s remember, Green is also the color of nature, abundance, luck, and safety (think 'green means go'). Feeling green can bring a lot of opportunities for personal growth.

When we can see the ways that we are all interconnected and working toward the same basic goals in life, the need to compare with others may soften. Cultivate great love for yourself, and keep in mind that the grass isnot always greener on the other side.