4 clear signs that someone is extremely jealous of you

Envy is an emotion that is often misinterpreted and misunderstood, often associated with toxicity, mistrust and resentment. However, in reality, envious people can sometimes feel at their strongest when they credit other people’s achievements as a motivator for their own success.

In these situations, jealousy can be a mutually beneficial trait in partners and friends, helping to cultivate a forward-thinking mindset in healthy relationships.

Of course, there are situations when envy can be evil, motivated by feelings of inferiority, insecurity and resentment. If you notice some of the more negative effects of jealousy, such as clear signs mindset trainer Sapphire Love on TikTok explained, consider them a warning that someone is hoping to nullify your success or demean your character.

Here are 4 clear signs that someone is extremely jealous of you, according to the laws of human nature:

1. They make your “dagger eyes” or negative micro-expression

A 2022 study compares “benign and malicious” envy emphasizes the power of micro-expressions such as head turn, eye contact and body language in deciphering someone’s intentions. If you share an achievement, like a promotion at work or a new relationship, and someone expresses emotions like anger, embarrassment, or disappointment by “congratulating” you, they’re likely struggling with jealousy.

Love described “dagger eyes” – a body language signal coined by Robert Greene in his book “Laws of human nature”, as a clear sign of the envious. Like most people, it is impossible to immediately control your facial expressions.

Our microexpressions that appear for just a split secondcan lead other people to our true emotions, not the mask we wear. When you share good news, notice people’s “dagger eyes” or bright eyes. They can’t control it, but you can find ways to pick it up.

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2. They offer “poisonous praise” in response to good news

Similar to “unbiased compliments“, envious people often respond with “poisonous praise” when you share good news or try to celebrate life’s achievements. Instead of saying, “Congratulations, you’ve worked so hard” or “I’m so proud of you,” they focus on material things like money and access, or try to turn the conversation into a negative one.

Love explained: “They focus on pointing out how it will benefit them, such as your higher salary or better access to travel, rather than congratulating you on your hard work or personal achievements.”

They can also point out negative things like you’re going to move away from them or have less free time because of a promotion at work, instead of focusing on your happiness.

“So many people in your life really do,” Love said, claiming that this sign of envy was shocking to her. While sometimes these comments aren’t directly intended to be malicious, they can indicate someone’s overall opinion of you and the value of your relationship.

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3. They use the “flashlight” to reinforce their negative perception of you

Envious people with malicious intent often create a negative perception of you, even if you don’t know them or have given them no reason to think badly of you.

Usually, their own insecurities fuel this dislike for you, and they’ll do anything to convince themselves that you’re a bad person. often gossiped about to make other people believe it.

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They will not give you grace when you make a mistake; they will spread or accept false rumors and gossip with others about your character. Although they may be nice to you, they track your every move, hoping to humiliate you feed your own self-confidence and ego.

Even so, there is some certainty that no matter how much they try to fulfill their own ego, develop their own confidence, and build their confidence, putting you down will only make them more insecure.

4. They oscillate between praise and harsh criticism

This can be frustrating and confusing recognize toxic friends and the people in your life, often because they have mastered the art of the “swing.” As this Love explained, they go back and forth between praise and criticism—regardless of the situation.

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They will celebrate your successes while criticizing your work-life balance or your investment in a passion. They will share your work online and then critique it to your face.

It can be hard to tell exactly how they feel because they aren’t shy about playing on both your friendship and their own ego.

“Someone who truly cares about you wouldn’t do that to you,” Love asserted. “They criticize you because they wish they were you, but then they warmed you up to be fake. They criticize because they literally want to be you.”

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Zaida Slabbeckorn is a news and entertainment writer at YourTango, focusing on health and wellness, social policy, and human interest stories