It's normal to feel envious once in a while. Who hasn't read about a celeb's astronomical income or seen a model's killer bod and thought, "Gee, I wish I had that!" But what happens when the person you envy isn't a stranger, but a close friend? We call it frienvy, and it can make you feel awful.

"It's one thing when you envy Angelina Jolie. You can feel jealous of her without any ramifications," says Darlene Mininni, Ph.D., author of The Emotional Toolkit. "Envying a friend is harder because you feel as though you're betraying the friendship or that you're a terrible person for wanting what she has." Follow these tips to foil frienvy forever:

Change Your Focus

You and your best friend started a diet together and it feels like she has shed pounds overnight while you're losing at a snail's pace! She's flaunting her new figure — and you're seething. What to do? First, readjust your focus. "Whenever you compare yourself with somebody else, you usually come up short," Mininni says. "Try asking yourself what you value and what you do have."

How about your family, your faith and your health? Consider the things that you do better than your friend "not in a mean-spirited way, but just to realize there’s a bigger picture here," says Mininni. Maybe, for example, you're tops at Scrabble or a whiz with a needle and thread. You’ll find that you have some frienviable talents, too!

Examine Your Feelings

You're toiling away at a crummy job, while your pal has a dream gig. You're green with frienvy, but is your friend the problem? "Your jealousy is sending the message that you need a better job. It has nothing to do with your friend," says Mininni.

Whenever you feel frienvious, look deeper to find what's upsetting you. Think about what you want — and the steps you can take to succeed. Frienvy "can actually help the friend who is envious see what she wants for herself," says Jan Yager, Ph.D., author of When Friendship Hurts. You'll thank your friend for inspiring you!

Come clean about your frienvy.

You can state your feelings bluntly ("I feel jealous of you because…") or try a lighthearted approach. For example, when a friend tells you about the fantastic cruise she has just booked, you might say, "Good for you! I'm so jealous!"

Make sure to let your friend know you’re happy for her. "You're expressing your feelings, not implying that your friend hasn't earned it, or that you’re not thrilled at her good fortune," says Yager. Being candid about your feelings can bring you and your friend closer!