Envy is the feeling of wanting something that someone else has. When you feel envious, you wish it belonged to you instead of them. A student might feel envy when their classmate gets picked for the lead role in the school play, or when a friend receives a new bike they've been wanting.

Envy is different from jealousy, though people often confuse the two. Jealousy is the fear of losing something you already have (like worrying your best friend will replace you with someone else). Envy is wanting what you don't have but someone else does.

Feeling a flash of envy is natural and normal. The tricky part is what you do with that feeling. Envy can motivate you to work harder toward your own goals, like practicing more after seeing how skilled another musician has become. But envy can also turn bitter, making you resent someone else's success instead of celebrating it or working toward your own.

Some people describe envy as the green-eyed monster. When someone feels envious, they might struggle to feel genuinely happy for others' good fortune. Learning to notice envy in yourself and channel it into motivation rather than resentment is part of growing up.