10 Best Replies To “I Envy You”

Often when someone says “I envy you”, they are expressing a form of jealousy over an aspect of your life. While this can be meant as a compliment, it often carries a slightly negative connotation. Therefore, it’s important to understand how to properly reply to these types of comments.

What Are The Best Replies To “I Envy You”?

When someone says “I envy you”, this often comes from a place of sensitivity or a lack of self-confidence. Because of this, it’s crucial we respond respectfully. In this article, we will explore the following appropriate replies to “I envy you”.

• No need to envy me, you’re amazing just the way you are.
• That’s flattering, but there’s no need to envy me.
• Thank you, that’s very nice of you to say.
• Thank you, but you can achieve this too! I believe in you.
• You shouldn’t compare yourself to others, you’re perfect just the way you are.
• Thank you, I feel the same way about you.
• I had to work very hard to get here, so thank you, I appreciate it.
• We are all beautiful in our own way.
• Thank you, I know good things are coming your way soon too.
• You’re too kind

The preferred reply to “I envy you” is “no need to envy me, you’re amazing just the way you are”. This is because envious comments often stem from a place of jealousy or self-doubt. To ensure we don’t worsen someone’s feelings, we respond in a kind manner.

No Need To Envy Me, You’re Amazing Just The Way You Are

When we say “no need to envy me, you’re amazing just the way you are”, we are attempting to quell someone’s envious feelings by reassuring and complimenting them. To be envious is not a healthy way to live. This is why it’s important to help rebuild this person’s confidence.

When someone says “I envy you” they often desire the same good fortune you have or an aspect of your personal appearance – making them look down upon themselves. We never want to further these negative feelings, so instead, we try to build the person back up.

While this will not always make someone feel better, it’s still a considerably kind gesture.

Here is a conversational example, using this response:

• Cassie: You are so beautiful, I envy you!
• Hannah: No need to envy me, you’re amazing just the way you are!

That’s Flattering, But There’s No Need To Envy Me

When we choose to respond to envious comments with “that’s flattering, but there’s no need to envy me”, we are showcasing our appreciation and recognition of the comment. Moreover, we are also explaining that there’s never a need for jealousy.

Often, when we express to someone that “there’s no need to envy me”, we would follow with a reason why. We can explain something detrimental that we had to overcome at a certain point, to get to the place where we are now.

We can also explain that “there’s no need to envy me”, as everyone has their positive attributes. If we spend time focusing on the things, we love about ourselves, we will spend less time admiring or dreaming about aspects of others’ lives.

To showcase how to use this response, here is an example:

• Patty: You have the best hair and smile. I envy you so much!
• Sammie: That’s flattering, but there’s no need to envy me! I dyed my hair and had braces throughout high school.

Thank You, That’s Very Nice Of You To Say

We would generally choose to reply with “thank you, that’s very nice of you to say” when someone has claimed to be envious, while majorly complimenting something about us. We are acknowledging our appreciation for the kind words and the fact that this person did not have to compliment us.

Whenever someone compliments us, coming from a place of jealousy or not, we must show some gratitude. While it may be a very awkward way to receive a compliment, it is still a compliment nonetheless.

Therefore, it’s also important that we recognize that there was no necessity for a compliment and because of this, it came across as very nice to us.

Here is an example, to help clarify how we can use this reply:

• Tom: Your new house and property are immaculate. I envy you and wish I had the same!
• Scott: Thank you, that’s very kind of you to say.

Thank You, But You Can Achieve This Too – I Believe In You!

We can say “thank you, but you can achieve this too – I believe in you”, any time we receive an “I envy you” type of comment. We are showing appreciation, while also attempting to instill some confidence in the person who claims to be envious of us.

Some great examples of when we could appropriately respond with this phrase are when someone has said they are envious of our recent weight loss, purchasing a new home, or any other major life accomplishment that required dedication.

Without openly stating it required a lot of hard work, we instead tell the commenting individual that they too can achieve this result. We even make mention of the fact that we believe in this person’s abilities – which is an incredibly thoughtful gesture.

To help additionally explain how we can use this reply, we’ll look at an example:

• Anne: I’ve wanted to work in the fashion industry for as long as I can remember! I envy you and your new job badly!
• Tiffany: Thank you, but you can achieve this too – I believe in you!

You Shouldn’t Compare Yourself To Others – You’re Perfect Just The Way You Are

When we choose to respond with “you shouldn’t compare yourself to others, you’re perfect just the way you are”, we are attempting to compliment the person that is showcasing envy. We are also highlighting the importance of not comparing ourselves to that others.

Constantly comparing yourself to others, especially in the heightened age of social media, can be very detrimental to our mental health. Therefore, if someone you care for is stating “I envy you”, we should do our best to help them out.

It’s important to try to make them see the value within themselves and to understand that everyone faces struggles and has things they don’t appreciate about themselves. We can often share our stories of struggle or moments of humility, to help emphasize that our life isn’t as perfect or worthy of envying as it may seem.

Here is an example, to help further explain the use of this response:

• Penny: You’re so thin and athletic. I envy you and wish I could look like that.
• Jen: Aw, thank you! However, you shouldn’t compare yourself to others – you’re perfect just the way you are!

Thank You, I Feel The Same Way About You

Another excellent response we can utilize is “thank you, I feel the same way about you”. We can use this reply to essentially return a comment like “I envy you”, back to the original sender. By doing this, we’re complimenting someone and saying we’re on the same level.

When we return a comment like “I envy you” to the person who’s said it to us, we are attempting to showcase our admiration or slight jealousy towards them too. This is a kind way of highlighting similarities and almost saying that there’s no need to be jealous of one another.

Often, pointing out commonalities is a very reassuring thing, especially to someone who may be feeling down about themselves or their situation.

For further explanation, here is an example we check out:

• Sarah: You look like a model, I envy you!
• Cammy: Thank you, I feel the same way about you!

I Had To Work Very Hard To Get Here, So Thank You, I Appreciate It

When we reply with “I had to work very hard to get here, so thank you, I appreciate it”, we are being very gracious, while also highlighting how hard we’ve worked to accomplish something. This phrase is especially applicable when folks show envy over our achievements.

Often, when people say “I envy you” after we’ve made a large purchase, got a new job or graduated, they overlook the dedication it took. If they were to devote themselves to their own desires in life, as opposed to remaining envious of others, they too could accomplish anything.

Without outright saying this, we instead highlight our own hard work as an example. Hopefully, this will inspire the person who has said they were initially envious.

Here is a conversational example, for reference purposes:

• Brian: I can’t believe you bought a new house, a dog and a skidoo this past month! I sure envy you, buddy!
• Dillon: I had to work very hard to get here, so thank you, I appreciate it!

We Are All Beautiful In Our Own Way

Much of the time, when folks say that they are envious of others, they do so because of someone’s looks or physique. When we choose to reply with, “we are all beautiful in our own way”, we are emphasizing the innate beauty within that person.

Folks often put themselves down or feel shame because they can’t live up to unrealistic standards of beauty. That, or they constantly compare themselves to others. This is harmful and negatively affects our self-worth.

This is why, when someone is saying they envy us because of the way we look, we ought to do our best to highlight their beauty as well.

Here is another example, showcasing this specific response:

• Linda: I wish I could look like you, I envy you so much. I just don’t like the way I look.
• Cathy: Please, don’t be so hard on yourself! We are all beautiful in our own way.

Thank You, I Know Good Things Are Coming Your Way Soon Too

Often, people say “I envy you” after we have experienced a moment of good fortune. A superb reply, in similar situations, is “thank you, I know good things are coming your way soon too”. This is because it takes the emphasis away from us.

By saying this, we are also showcasing our hope for others to experience the same. This is considered a very gracious way of handling this sort of situation. Not to mention, we are also showcasing a high level of gratitude for our present blessings.

We can use this particular response like this:

• Brad: I can’t believe you won the lottery! Man, I envy you so much!
• Jim: Thank you, I know good things are coming your way soon too.

You’re Too Kind

The last reply to “I envy you” we will go over is, “you’re too kind”. When we respond to someone’s comment with “you’re too kind”, we are expressing a high level of gratitude and courteousness. This is an excellent way to respond, without going into too much detail.

There’s a large difference in how to handle a close friend or family member saying “I envy you”, and an acquaintance saying this. This particular response is appropriate when we don’t know someone that well – especially not on a personal level.

Lastly, we will go over examples for this reply:

• George: I may not know you very well, but man, do I envy you and that boat of yours!
• Greg: Oh wow, you’re too kind!

You may also like:

“I Envy You” – Meaning Explained (With Examples)

“Jealous Of You” vs. “Envious Of You” – Difference Explained