The dictionary describes emotional intelligence as “the skill of perceiving, understanding and managing your emotions and feelings.” Essentially, your emotional intelligence determines your ability to be self-aware, self-regulate, motivate yourself, and function socially while practicing appropriate empathy.

Self-Awareness

A self-aware person knows that they are a person, personality, or individual, and they are fully conscious of it. The benefits of being self-aware are numerous. When you possess self-awareness, you understand that you influence outcomes. You get that you need to understand things from multiple perspectives and let go of assumptions and biases.

Self-awareness allows you to communicate clearly and intentionally. Thus, you become a more effective decision-maker who makes good choices for your own life. But, more importantly, you make choices consciously aligned with your principles, morals, and values.

Self- Regulation

Setting goals, monitoring your own actions, providing compassion to yourself, and practicing positive self-talk are all excellent signs of practicing self-regulation. If you feel upset but do not toss yourself on the floor and throw a fit, it does not mean you’re not upset or that the situation is not serious.

It just means that you emotionally and intelligently control yourself to avoid more trauma. Communicating your values and vision to others while you act per your own values is a skill that pays off in all parts of your life.

Motivation

Understanding your drivers and how to motivate others is a skill in high demand. Intrinsic motivation is needed to help you reach your goals and fill your needs. In addition, if you are motivated, you’ll be more likely to change your behavior to accommodate your actual needs instead of constantly serving your wants.

Intrinsic motivation comes from understanding and believing that your actions and hard work will pay off. The good news is, with a well-thought-out personal development plan, you can draw comfort from knowing that your due diligence means that sticking to the process pays off.

Empathy

When you are empathetic, you’ll build stronger social connections by demonstrating an understanding of human nature, how they think and feel, and why others respond differently than you do to stimuli.

Having the ability to put yourself in someone else’s shoes while managing your own moods as you help them take action that will change the situation. After all, as an emotionally intelligent person, you want to help solve problems and improve your own environment to impact the world positively.

Social Skill Development

As a human who lives in a family, community, and larger world, it’s imperative to relate to others empathetically so that you promote more acceptance, inclusion, and peace. When you can positively influence other people’s emotions, you will build stronger families and communities and help become a driver to a more peaceful and safer world.

Emotional intelligence is a group of essential and necessary skills that you can learn and practice. As you learn these skills, you will develop into the person you want to be who experiences their life as complete and successful while also holding up others.

Until next time, stay safe, and keep the faith.