Emotional intelligence: what it means
What is emotional intelligence? Well, it is not just about being able to control your emotions. Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize your emotions and not let them take over. It is crucial to improve your emotional intelligence skills if you want to be able to manage hard situations or be successful. A lack of emotional intelligence will lead to blaming others and holding grudges.
“Two wrongs don’t make a right”
In life, you will encounter situations that do not please you. Imagine that you get insulted by a co-worker, would you insult them back? Two wrongs do not make a right. Some people might disagree with this phrase and believe that people should receive the same energy they give. However, having emotional intelligence is not about being okay with people disrespecting you, or staying positive when you are not happy with how things are going. So, when you get insulted by a co-worker, the best thing to do is ignore them, or tell the manager. Emotional intelligence is about not continuing to go down a path that will affect you negatively.
Listening is essential
Sometimes, you will hear things you do not like, but if you do not take the time to listen to why people say those things, you will only focus on the negativity when the reality is that listening will help you understand how you can improve. Lack of emotional intelligence means you are not making efforts to communicate. For example, someone tells you that you are bad at singing, instead of being like those rude contestants at The X Factor, a tv show where people audition to sing, you need to listen to what they have to say about your singing so that you may be aware of what needs to change when it comes to your singing skills. Active listening skills can help you a lot with improving your emotional intelligence because it allows you to understand different perspectives.
The importance of understanding your emotions
When you have negative emotions, not understanding them can lead you to making bad decisions. Emotions are inevitable, so suppressing them is going to make things worse for you. Understanding your emotions allows you to think of ways to control your reactions and helps you to make healthy decisions. It is completely okay to have feelings of jealousy or anger, but your goal should not be to make others feel your negative emotions.
