Hey, jealousy

Jealousy in romance is like salt in food. A little can enhance the savor, but too much can spoil the pleasure and, under certain circumstances, can be life-threatening.
-- Maya Angelou

I have a confession: whether I like it or not, I have a jealous streak.

I don't want to be jealous, and I know that my thoughts at times are irrational and silly. I tell myself that I should just suck it up and move on, but sometimes I get this nagging jealous feeling that I just can't seem to shake.

Case in point:
A month or so back, my boyfriend spent the day with one of his female friends. They went out to lunch and then went to Lane Packing and had a day of platonic fun. There were many reasons for me not to be jealous: I trust my boyfriend, and his friend was married, lived in another country and used to date his best friend. Obviously, there was no reason for them to get together. Still, I couldn't help but feel that green-eyed monster creeping up on me. Knowing that I was being irrational (after all, I have plenty of guy friends that I can hang out with alone in a completely non-romantic way), I called one of my best friends for her to confirm to me what I already knew: I was being a stupid jealous girl.

Jealousy originates out of some insecurity or perceived threat to a relationship, according to an article on the BBC's Web site. Jealousy in small doses can be good because it can help us appreciate our partner more, but of course, it can be straining if one person constantly is suspicious and jealous of the other person.

I usually try to recognize my own jealousy and more often than not, realize that it's unfounded. When I need assurance, I call one of my friends who I know has their head screwed on right. And, usually, I tell my boyfriend about it later (in a non-accusatory way), which makes me feel better.

Do you ever get jealous? How do you deal with it? If you have a jealous SO, how do you manage his/her jealousy?