Envy

“Envy isn’t always about beauty, power, or wealth… people can envy you because you love yourself.” ~Angela Shannon Ponder


Greetings Readers!


I have a question. How dare you?


How dare you be someone worth admiring? How dare you be intelligent? How dare you be gifted? How dare you have the ability to effectively communicate? How dare you have less than me, yet still make me feel as though I don’t have enough? How dare you have strengths that make me feel as though you have exposed my weaknesses? How dare you not acknowledge and celebrate me, despite my blatant refusal to celebrate you? How dare you not dumb yourself down in my presence so I can feel important? How dare you be so secure in the knowledge of who you are? How dare you? Now, let’s talk about Envy.


You know, I have never understood exactly how envy works. Like how someone could have more than you do financially and a higher status in society, yet still envy you. It took what feels like a lifetime of learning before I realized that it isn’t even about the money, the material possessions or status, but it’s about you. Your ability to radiate a light no one can dim. Your ability to create magic from a simple thought. Your ability to excel seemingly effortlessly. Your ability to intimidate the insecurities in others. Your ability to drive people to dislike you just for being you, or could it be that favor and anointing that they see all over you? Understand this… people who are consumed by their own desperate need for validation will be aggravated by your confidence. They will throw not so subtle shade, they will find reasons to nitpick, they will be passive aggressive, they will laugh at your expense, and they will go low whenever they “sense” you are getting the upper hand, because they feel it is their duty to humble you. How dare you not feel the need to be validated, when they see you as flawed and wonder why you don’t seem to view yourself the same? They watch you relentlessly, because they can’t help themselves, but are completely unaware that you see them.

Let’s be honest, envy is nothing more than intense feelings of disappointment redirected and aimed at someone else. That is called displaced dissatisfaction. It is projection. Envy comes in all forms, from success, to physical appearance, to popularity, to intellect and competence, to opportunities, to God-given gifts and the list is truly endless. It all starts with the mind games they play on themselves when they look at others as either competition or a come up. They start to watch and compare, and we all know that comparison is the thief of joy, right? They are so caught up and fixated on others, they refuse to deal with the fact that their misery is the direct result of not dealing with their unaddressed childhood trauma. It has nothing to do with anyone else. If someone else’s blessings and gifts make you feel some type of way, go seek some help.


Social media doesn’t make things any easier. In fact, it only intensifies those feelings of inadequacy and diminishing self-worth, especially if all they do is sit around watching the pages of people they actually admire, trying to find the imperfections in their lives and in their relationships. Looking for ways to critique and criticize and throw more shade than a cloudy day, because after all, it’s got to be fake anyway. No one is THAT happy. Searching for traces in a post that prove you feel the same way about them as they feel about you, because they desperately need to know that their bad behavior is justified. Feeling targeted by social media posts and memes, because they read them through the lens of a perpetual victim. Hanging out in someone’s stories but never liking a post on their page, as if they’re invisible? We all know that no one watches you harder than someone who cannot stand you, but still wants to know what you are up to. How about the ones who read your posts and never acknowledge them online but will bring them up the very next time they see or talk to you. People who refuse to show public support for you, do so because they secretly don’t like you or have been privately discussing you. Engage your spiritual discernment and don’t waste another drop of energy on people who do not add value to your life.

Do you ever wonder why some people act peculiar towards you, especially around others? Why they seem to avoid you, never speaking first or acknowledging that you are even present at all? When you know you have done nothing wrong, yet they treat you like you stole their inheritance, don’t doubt that what you are seeing is envy. You see envy has nothing to do with money, power, title, education, social status, or influence. Envy at its very core, is knowing you possess something they do not feel you are worthy of having, regardless of what it may be. It’s not what you do, it’s the fact that it’s YOU. Maybe people love on you publicly, maybe you can work a room gliding through with ease, maybe, just maybe you are a creative beast while they struggle to come up with the first idea. Sometimes people will look down on you to make you feel like they do. Envy will smolder below the surface for so long that folks will forget WHY they don’t like you, but they will never forget that it’s true. Bless their hearts.


Let’s wrap this… it’s always been said that “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery”, but I think it’s just a lack of ambition borrowing from another’s genius without permission. The envious don’t know any different, so all they know to do is attempt to duplicate the vision. It’s quite irritating but remember, they can always copy, but the paste will never equal. They could never create a sequel. It will never be as profound or moving trying to do what you are successfully doing. It will never be as authentic as the original, so when you find yourself surrounded by a sea of envy, accept that there is something special about your potential.

It was beautiful day to shoot this concept, right at the golden hour. We are grateful that the beautiful, Asia Moore was present to represent beauty, grace, and humility in the most amazing way. She is one of our FAVS and someone who has absolutely been on the receiving end of envious behavior, but still she thrives! We hope you enjoy this post entitled, “Envy” and all of the images from that concept. Thank you for your indulgence.

MUA: 
Tynita Lee
Booking Info:MakeUpbyTynita@gmail.com or 

Makeup by Tynita on Schedulicity.com
Instagram: @makeup_by_tynita


As always, thank you SO much for visiting our blog. Keep up with the Team at Photography by Sean Ponder by visiting our website at PhotographybySeanPonder.com or on FaceBook at Facebook.com/PhotographybySeanPonder (Like our page!). You can also follow us on InstaGram at Instagram.com/PhotographybySeanPonder.


Until next time, Peace, Love and Light!

Angela
The Creative Director