The Basics of Emotional Intelligence

Are you familiar with emotional intelligence? Today my intention is to briefly share a bit about four important elements within emotional intelligence and how to grow in those areas.

First off, why does emotional intelligence even matter? Well I see it something like this. Our emotions, the acting on or expression of our feelings, plays a major role in our life.

How we feel is one thing, but what associations we make to those feelings and how we emote or express that definitely impacts our relationships, finances, and perception of our environment.

The mastery of emotions, the deep understanding of our feelings, and how we process our environment, play a huge role in every aspect of our daily lives.

Consider this:

If how we feel decides how we respond to a situation or circumstance and we’d prefer to respond in a powerful way, wouldn’t it make sense to decide how we feel? Well how do we do that? With some discovery and practice basically.

That is why developing our emotional intelligence is essential. Humans are sensation oriented and emotional by nature. It makes sense to me, that we get good at what is essential to our life, and life will be, simply put, better!

Let’s touch on the following four pillars: (Followed by the simple ways to develop in each area)

1.    Self-Awareness: Observe, Question, Experience, Reflect, Learn.

The more awareness, the more we can see. Think of it as an increased ability to perceive, which can enhance your perspective. Why see only 1 color when we have the ability to see them all? This is relevant to discernment as well. What if you need to focus on 1 color at will? Imagine that you can fairly accurately sort through the thoughts and feelings you have. How much easier will it be for you to identify the root of the challenges present in your life?

2.    Self-Management: Consistent Practice. Intentional Effort. Use of Systems and Techniques.

This is where you take your awareness, and take action. Learn different methods or systems that will lead you to the outcomes you desire. However, if you’re lacking in awareness, if your information is incorrect, you won’t be able to get the desired outcomes. In fact, if you lack awareness you may be acting in a direction that is the opposite of that in which you want to move. This is the process, effort, training, trying stuff, doing the work part.

3.    Social Awareness: Observe, Question, Experience, Reflect, Learn.

Social awareness is similar to self-awareness, just applied externally. Empathy is a must in this. Some studying is a must. Becoming aware of others, what’s really happening for them, being aware of the community, or society you live in. Being aware that the world you know isn’t the entire collective of how things operate everywhere is essential. Without developing here, you can expect isolation. This element is crucial for working and living with others.

4.    Relationship Management: Listen, Observe, Empathize, Question, Intentional Effort, Effectively Communicate, Use of Systems, Practice, Reflect, Update.

This is where you practice and execute on your social awareness and self-awareness. Our relationships with others are a HUGE component of our lives. The quality of our relationships impacts our daily lives in a drastic way. More empathy and connection here, followed by less ego and less selfishness. The best tip I can give for this is try to make as many things that involve others a win-win as possible. Not just a win-win from your perspective but theirs as well. This will definitely ensure more mutual appreciation and support in our lives.

Ultimately growing in these 4 areas is essential to living a rich and full life. Growing your emotional intelligence will lead you to the ability to do, have, and contribute more. You’ll feel better about yourself, others will feel better about you, and you’ll likely do plenty to be proud of. 

This ended up being a little longer than I initially intended. However, there is so much more to cover. I hope that this brief intro helped to inform you. More importantly I hope that what you just read opened up your perspective even just a tiny bit. For those who are familiar with this, maybe this just resonated with you. In any case, I’m grateful.

Thank you for your time and may we all grow our emotional intelligence as we continue this journey called life.