by Justin Bariso / © 2019, Mansueto Ventures, LLC. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Emotional intelligence—the ability to identify, understand and manage emotions—is so important. Emotional intelligence helps us to better understand ourselves and others. It can help us make better decisions—the kind that are in harmony with our true beliefs and values. But what does emotional intelligence look like in real life? In EQ Applied: The Real-World Guide to Emotional Intelligence, I break down some of the characteristics that accompany a high EQ.
Take a look at the following, and see whether they describe your everyday habits:
You don’t just feel, you think about what you’re feeling and strive to understand why.
Doing so helps you to understand the role emotions play in your own and others’ behavior.
You know that emotions and feelings are temporary and that making impulsive decisions leads to regrets. That’s why you take time to pause before speaking or acting, especially when you recognize you’re in an emotionally charged moment.
You realize being “authentic” doesn’t mean sharing everything you think, with everyone, all of the time. But it does mean saying what you mean, meaning what you say and sticking firmly to your values and principles.
You can’t always control your feelings: Outside stimuli can cause you to feel happy or sad, angry or content. But you realize that you can influence how those feelings develop—by focusing your thoughts. As the old saying goes: You can’t stop a bird from landing on your head, but you can keep it from building a nest.
Nobody enjoys hearing criticism, including you.
But rather than fear negative feedback, you welcome it—because you know you can use it to grow.
When it’s time for you to give negative feedback, you keep the other person in mind. You realize that it’s not enough to be right; you’ll get the best results when you’re kind.
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