Envy can be defined as the desire for others' traits, status, abilities or situation.  It's closest relative is jealousy.  Envy used to be reserved for your neighbor's lawn, your girlfriend's pimple-free skin or your co-worker's promotion. Now envy can be directed everywhere. The best selling author, Seth Godin, refers to the internet as the evil amplifier(1):  

"Used to be that the only Jones you needed to worry about was the one who lived next door. Now, if you choose too, it's easy to find someone taller, richer, more successful, better liked, with more followers, online friends, connections and endorsements. And certainly it will be someone less deserving than you."

Buddhists see envy as a lack of confidence or a sense of inferiority.  It's the craving for the things that other have that you don't. Not only is envy closely linked to greed and desire, it said to be linked, along with jealousy, to anger.  According to the Buddhists it all ultimately ends up in suffering. To put it in perspective, however, the Buddhists see suffering in everything!

So, my envy.  It isn't about yogi friend's 1-minute handstand, which is 57 seconds longer than I can do even on my best days.  It's not about having more money or a nicer car, although I do think a Tesla would be nice. In no way do I envy movie or rock stars or runway models. I have everything one could ask for and more.  

I'm sure I have other envies, but here are two:

Envy Numero Uno:  I envy other people's gardens.  They are lush with big sunflowers smiling at the sun and rows of plump strawberries waiting to be plucked. The zinnias are abundant, the yarrow wild and the gardenias fragrant. The meyer lemons are waiting to be picked. My garden struggles. It's a 24-hr cafe for snails and deer and other hungry creatures.  It's dry. My roses have no blooms. Boo-hoo me.  

Envy Numero Dos:  I envy prolific readers. I gasp with amazement, when Emily Bazilon, writer for the New York Times Magazine, contributor to The Slate Political Gabfest and mother of two reads 3 books on her one-week vacation. I have friends with much busier lives than me that consistently crank out several books a month. My friend, Barb, is reading some big-fat book on Napolean, although I do not envy her for that book.  I love to read and I find reading valuable. I wish I were a better reader. I wish I read more. I'm envious of people who can do both.

Envy, along with jealousy, anger, greed and joy and happiness and love are all part of the human condition.  It's normal to have all of these emotions floating around in some form or another. I image that if you were honest, you'd find some envy also. What's important is look at your envy and give it a smile and a nod. Pay attention to when the feeling of envy arise along with the physical and emotional sensations you may feel.  Acknowledge the feeling and take ownership of them without scolding yourself or wallowing in some sort of "woe, is me/I'm a bad person".  Nobody is making you envious, you're doing it to yourself!