What Is Emotional Intelligence?

Emotional intelligence refers to the ability to  know and manage our own emotions and feelings and to recognize them both in ourselves and in others.  In addition, this ability implies knowing how to manage our interpersonal relationships.

This term has been popularized by Daniel Goleman, an American psychologist who published a 1995 book with the same name, Emotional Intelligence . Since then, it has become increasingly important in different areas, such as raising children.

What is interesting about this ability is its relationship to mental well-being, self-esteem and positive mood. People with well-developed emotional intelligence better understand the emotions of others; In addition, they believe in themselves, want to give, and focus on solutions in problem solving.

On the contrary, people who cannot control their emotional world increase their chances of suffering from certain problems. Among these are intra-family problems, in social relationships or even mood disorders.

C wash to develop emotional intelligence

1. Know what emotions we experience and why

When we get angry, argue, or receive praise or affection, we can take a few seconds to analyze our feelings and emotions. We must think about where they come from and what they are.

By recognizing them, in some situations we can manage them and minimize their impact on our behavior and mood, especially by those who are negative.

2. Perceive the relationships between feelings, thoughts and actions

It is very important to know how to detect the relationships between these three components. Many times a negative thought leads to negative emotions and this, in turn, into actions that we may later regret. They occur because of our way of interpreting what happens in our mind, which then becomes a vicious circle.

Albert Einstein already said it:  “We cannot solve our problems with the same thought models with which we create them”.

Therefore, it is convenient to make sure of our thoughts and not try to infer or guess the feelings or emotions of others ; In these cases, a bad procedure can have devastating consequences, both for ourselves and for others.

3. Create mental habits that favor our talents

With this point, we mean that, thanks to our great capacity to learn, we can learn or develop those skills that provide us with greater personal and social well-being. In short, always getting to know each other a little more is never superfluous.

4. Educate in emotional intelligence from childhood

Everything we learn from childhood becomes more ingrained in our lives. Emotional intelligence is a quality that, learned from an early age, can help you through many of the difficult stages you go through until you reach adulthood.

How to achieve this difficult task? Here are some suggestions:

• Appreciate the positive characteristics of themselves and others: This can be done through playful activities, such as taking a paper with the name of a partner and writing or saying their virtues; it is an ideal exercise for school.
• Identification of feelings: Whether through mobile applications, with letters or with drawings of smiling, sad and angry faces on paper, we can help children to know the traits that show each mood.
• Analysis of conflictive or pleasant situations: In this sense, music, stories, movies and series and plays can be of great help. Given the various circumstances that may appear, dialogue with the children should be done about the possible resolutions and actions to be taken before them.

Emotional intelligence in different areas of life

Beyond the relevance that we previously marked to stimulate emotional intelligence from childhood, it is never too late to improve this ability in us. In older people, for example, it can be used to know how to enjoy every moment and take care of relationships with other people.

In addition, it is also a good resource to live more relaxed, maintain the balance of emotions  – and therefore health – and to better adapt to the circumstances that this stage of their lives poses.

On the other hand, in the workplace, emotional intelligence also makes its great contribution to personal and collective success. Tools like self-awareness, motivation, and empathy can truly make a difference; something similar also happens in sports practice.

In short, emotional intelligence runs through each of the areas of our daily lives. To find the best version of ourselves, in addition to the logical and essential need to take care of our body, we must also know how to cultivate the capacities of our mind.

If you have any questions, we recommend consulting with a professional in the field of mental health. They are the ones who can help you the most.