Emotions often ignite our actions. However, we sometimes place them on the back burner, falsely believing that to optimize decision-making and succeed, emotions need to be suppressed.
But it's essential to understand that emotions are a natural part of our existence, and if interpreted correctly, they can provide valuable insights. The key is to manage and address them appropriately to achieve better results – this is where emotional intelligence comes in.
Emotional intelligence offers the advantage of recognizing and understanding your emotions and those of others. It uses this awareness to guide your actions and behavior, thus improving your interactions with others. It encompasses various elements, such as self-awareness, self-management, motivation, empathy, and social abilities.
Here are some strategic ways to foster and enhance your emotional intelligence:
Embrace Mindfulness
Emotional intelligence begins with you. By embracing mindfulness, you can heighten your self-awareness. This self-awareness subsequently makes it simpler to be mindful and aware of others' emotions. You can cultivate mindfulness through meditation, yoga, or by maintaining a journal to document your daily thoughts and feelings.
The act of journaling can help you gain a deeper understanding of your own emotions and how they interact with and are influenced by life's events.
Foster Positivity – Adopt the ‘Half-Full Glass' Perspective
Positive individuals are more resilient and better at promoting their own self-growth. To bolster your emotional intelligence, learn to celebrate small victories, which will motivate you to strive for more progress. Positivity allows you to handle situations more effectively, resulting in less emotional harm to you or others.
Don't Neglect Negative Emotions
Recognize and address negative emotions and situations. Do not internalize or conceal them. Sometimes, it's essential to process negative emotions independently at first, but ensure to express them once they've been understood and made sense of. Identifying potential triggers leading to specific feelings or responses is crucial.
Embrace your emotions, even the negative ones. Acceptance and coping are healthier responses than avoidance and denial. Suppressed emotions tend to resurface in other (often harmful) ways, thus remain unhealthy. Familiarize yourself with your triggers to prepare for similar situations in the future.
Establish Personal Goals
Motivation often stems from setting personal goals. Ensure these goals are realistic enough to consistently inspire and push you to achieve them. People often feel overwhelmed and stressed when they set goals without a clear path to accomplish them. When setting big goals, break them into smaller, achievable short-term goals to keep you motivated.
Realistic and manageable goals keep you grounded and driven to work towards achieving them. When you finally accomplish your set goals, it not only boosts your self-confidence but also enhances your ability to progress and make things happen.
Maintain A Healthy, Balanced Diet
Maintaining a balanced diet, though fundamental, is crucial for your emotional health. Along with looking after your overall well-being, this ensures you're in the best possible physical, emotional and mental state.
Engage with Like-Minded Individuals
Finally, networking offers an excellent opportunity to deepen your interests and connect with like-minded individuals. Interacting with new people and sharing your interests enhances your social awareness and skills – key elements of high emotional intelligence.
