A little jealousy is normal, but when couples let the jealousy take over, a relationship can suffer. Couples should know the initiating factors of their jealousy to help understand it and benefit the relationship. Jealousy can be a main relationship killer. Couples who concentrate on communication, trust, and focus on the self, help cope with jealousy within those relationships.
Communication is key. Keeping open communication to recognize when personal behavior is inspiring jealousy helps partners to diffuse situations as or before they arise. Partners who communicate about what they are willing to alter in their behavior, to lessen and potentially prevent feelings of jealousy, are happier. There is a difference between sorting out a problem and simply criticizing every little thing that is not going in favor of a certain partner. Communication works two ways, meaning both partners need to sit down and talk things out to hear all concerns.
Trust between partners is just as important as communicating in the relationship. Trust can be a diversion for jealousy. When both partners believe that the other is acting with their best interest at heart, lower levels of jealousy are felt. Those attempting to deal with normal levels of jealousy will typically use trust because they see their relationship and relationship goals as interdependent with the other partner. Those couples trust that their partner understands how deeply actions can affect the entire relationship.
If trust is a strong aspect in the relationship, romantic partners are able to give more self-attention to reduce jealousy. Rather than partners looking at everything they lack as an individual and in the relationship, they should give each other a nice boost of self-assurance and challenge the other to stop thinking about everything he/she is unhappy about. They need to recognize that there are so many positive aspects to focus on instead.
Also, many decisions that should be self-focused are made with others in mind. When this happens, jealousy is likely to increase if a decision is made in the absence of one partner. Partners who are happy and comfortable individually can be happy and comfortable with another person as well. It is important for couples to remember to listen to one another while also focusing on him/herself; taking the time to build confidence allows partners to be free of high jealousy tendencies.
Jealousy may be a part of a relationship, but it does not have to control it (and it should not control the relationship!). Rather than letting envy consume and control, it can be used as an opportunity to show couples how invested they are in the relationship and turn jealousy into love and affection. In the end, it should always be about the couple involved and how they are going to get through things together.