People have told me so, usually based on the places I’ve lived and things I’ve seen.
Sometimes I even envy myself.
I think so. I’ve been told before I’m envied for having such a great marriage. Other people have expressed envy at my educational and travel opportunities. I think the outside package can look very desirable.
The question is whether they would be willing to live the first 17 years of my life to get here. Whether they would give up a loving family of origin or their mental health. For every blessing in my life there was a wound.
Which is not to say I’m not grateful, I most definitely am. I personally would choose the wounds in order to keep the blessings, and in some ways the wounds have become blessings in and of themselves. I feel like a very lucky human being. I’m just saying people make a lot of assumptions based on the superficial appearance of things, so I take envy with a grain of salt.
I’m pretty damn satisfied with my life, because of small things. Elves and dwarves and klingons and vulcans wouldn’t envy me, but hobbits would.
For the average person around the world, probably.
For the average non-impoverished denizen of the First World, I’m guessing not as much ;).
And isn’t that just the thing you need to hear at the wrong time.
**Wallenstein **nailed the letter of the OP in 1. But I think even among people in my own social bracket I’m probably enviable. I’ve got a couple major drama actions going on at home, but the new wife and I work very well together and actively look out for each other. The same circumstances with a less awesome partnership would really be horrible.
Well said!
I’m sure there must be someone who’d envy the life I have, but I doubt they’d envy the path I took to get here.
Yes, this is exactly what I meant to say. Well put.
I’m not particularly enviable right now, though I do have a great deal to be thankful for. On the other hand I can’t help feeling envious of those who seem to succeed in everything and have it all. I’m talking about the ones who manage to live out their material dreams to the fullest and yet still enjoy stellar career success, world travel, owner-occupied house AND rental property, ample retirement savings rates, helping their kids through college–and STILL have savings in the bank.
It’s an aspect of myself that is counterproductive and I don’t like it. I’m trying to change.
No.
Some bits I suppose. I am happy, I have a home, an employed husband whom I quite like, and two delightful children. I get to run my life pretty much how I want to and I just had a job plop into my lap that will save my projected career plans (as far as I* have* a career, which is just-barely). I cultivate weird skills and enjoy it. I have good friends, and a nice relaxed family I get along with.
OTOH, I’m not enviably attractive and I can barely see. I fully expect to need a whole lot of eye surgery in the future. We spent last year unemployed and are still digging out from under the debt we accrued (and therefore, double yay for my job!). I could lose 40 lbs. and my in-laws are…difficult.
I wouldn’t trade my life though. I feel very fortunate.
Possibly, maybe. I work a teacher’s schedule, so have alot of time off. Live alone in a pretty decent neighborhood in Manhattan, which I love. My Dad used to work for an airline, so I can fly for free, when there’s space available, which isn’t always (& anyone who’s flown in the last few years knows this perk has lost alot of it’s value!). I think I’m gonna have Dad stuffed like in “Weekend at Bernies” whenever he shuffles off this mortal coil! 
I have no kids, which to me is enviable, but to alot of people isn’t. No real debts, praise God. Have a car (& pay throught the nose to park it!), which to some folks in Manhattan is maybe enviable (hard to understand if you live pretty much anywhere else, I know!). Have a great girlfriend who doesn’t want to have kids, live together, or get married, which to me is very enviable.
But, I know all I said isn’t for everyone, and I of course manage to piss and moan about my lot in life despite all the good stuff! 
Plusses
- I am pretty much healthy as a horse.
- I am able to spend a great deal of time pursuing my favorite hobbies.
- I eat well and drink better than average beers.
- I have a job.
- I have a pretty nice truck and a bitchin’ motorcycle.
- Paid for house, no debt.
minuses
- No female partner.
- Low wage, low status job.
- Not a rockstar.
Yes, many would envy me.
Yes, I think I have a nearly perfect life. Young, healthy, reasonably pretty, and very happily married to a great guy. I get to work from home as an artist, and basically do whatever I want to, all the time. I have great dogs and a great house, and life is excellent.
The real test for me is that presently, I very much envy my life of 10 short years ago.
There are certain things I’ve got that certain people envy: My partner, my house, being self-employed, my artistic ability, my travels.
But I don’t know whether “most” people would envy my life or any part of it.
I’m pretty well-traveled, and I’ve had people tell me they envy me this. But I’ve had to give up a lot of creature comforts and stability that most people prize in order to do lead a semi-nomadic lifestyle, so I don’t know how much they’d really like to change places with me, really.
Right now, I don’t think my life is enviable, because I’m unemployed and finding work is turning out to be an enormous pain and at the age of 32, I might have to go slum with my parents unless I find a job really soon. BAH. For this, I went to grad school?
Anyway, that’s by industrialized nation standards. By general world standards, my life is pretty enviable. I still have a lot more opportunities than many people.
Heh–this is the opposite of me. I no longer get to travel much at all (at least by the standards of what I’d like to do): the job, the house, the cats, the garden, the baby all tie me down even if the bank account didn’t.
On the other hand, I’ve got a house, a job, healthy pets, a garden, a wonderful baby.
I often envy folks who get to travel; I dream of moving to Denmark some day. I know it’ll never happen; I’m too tied to this place. And I’m okay with that.
I do envy travel. I had kids instead, and I would not trade them, but if I could have both I would be very very thrilled. Oh well, someday.
I am also very attached to my little corner of the world. I would love to visit other places, maybe live somewhere else for a year, but we very much want to stay here permanently. Some people want that and others don’t. I fell into it, really.
Sure. My entire profession is built on envy and the desire to best every other guy you work with. Just how it is.