Talking about your salary aloud is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, this sort of transparency can keep wages fair for everyone. On the flip side, your coworkers might soon start showing signs of envy when they realize you’re earning more than them. However, some folks only see the number without considering what the person does.

Redditor u/RegexIsEasy went viral on the r/pettyrevenge subreddit after sharing how he turned the tables on a petty coworker. He had publicly revealed the OP’s confidential salary and tried to shame him. However, things took a twist he didn’t expect. Read on for the full story. Bored Panda has reached out to the author via Reddit, and we’ll update the article as soon as we hear back from him.

While some folks celebrate their coworkers’ success, others resent them for earning more than them

Image credits: RossHelen / envato (not the actual photo)

One software developer shared how his colleague tried to publicly shame him for earning a high salary

Image credits: LightFieldStudios / envato (not the actual photo)

Image credits: RegexIsEasy

Strong relationships, rather than money or career achievements, make us the happiest

Image credits: Darlene Alderson / pexels (not the actual photo)

Jealousy and envy are part of being a human being, whether we like it or not. They’re natural reactions to the world around us: we tend to want the same good things that other folks have.

So if someone in our social network has a nicer house, faster car, or more prestigious job title, we covet that. We can, however, be in charge of how we react to these differences in wealth and status. There is a massive difference between feeling inspired by someone else’s success and brooding that other people have it better.

In the former case, you start taking the necessary steps to get what you desire. Other people’s success motivates you to take action. In the latter case, you want the end result without putting in all the hard work. Other people’s success feels like a personal attack.

While wealth can be important because it affords us more opportunities and saves our precious time, at the end of the day, it’s our positive relationships that have the biggest impact on our health, happiness, and longevity. And anyone, no matter their salary, can cultivate these relationships.

That’s not just some fancy-schmancy talk, either. A long-running Harvard study unequivocally found that our close relationships and social connections are invaluable for our well-being and help regulate our stress levels. Just as loneliness and social isolation lead to more frequent health problems, so do positive relationships contribute to our overall health.

However, we can’t just let these relationships develop passively. We need to be very proactive in nurturing and cultivating them.

You need to consider what the root cause of your envy really is, and what kind of life you want to live

Image credits: Karolina Grabowska / pexels (not the actual photo)

With all of this in mind, it’s easier to be happy for a colleague who earns more instead of resenting them. Someone’s salary doesn’t say much about the quality of their social life.

What really helps one gain perspective is thinking about what it truly is that we’re envious of. Maybe we want to impress people with a super high salary? Maybe we want the social clout that comes from having a high-profile job? Maybe we’re so bored with our current jobs that we’d love to work as a talented software developer?

Or, it may be something else entirely. It might not even be a coworker’s salary that we covet, so much as the opportunities that it represents: e.g., the ability to travel more frequently, afford better education, food, and entertainment for one’s family, etc. All of these things are possible on a smaller salary, too, but they require some smart budgeting.

Meanwhile, we can’t forget that we have no idea how stressful a high-earner’s life might really be. Many folks are envious of household-name tech company CEO salaries, sure. But how many of us would really want to be in charge of global multi-billion-dollar organizations where our every move is scrutinized and chronic stress is the rule, not the exception?

You have to be honest with yourself about what it is you truly want to do with your money. Earning more money for its own sake is useless if you’re always working overtime or if you hate what you do.

Alternatively, a job with values and a mission you fully believe in can offer you far more purpose and happiness, even if you stand to potentially earn slightly less.

The author commented on a lot of people’s reactions to his story

Other internet users pitched in with their personal takes on the situation

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