How Emotional Intelligence Can Lead To A Positive Life

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Whether we are talking about the life of a daffodil, a sea urchin, a falcon, an ape or a human, we know one thing for sure – life is an active process. No matter how favorable or unfavorable the conditions are, or whether the stimulus comes from within or outside, the behaviors all organisms depict reveal an urge to maintain, enhance, and reproduce. We are constantly in flow and operative even in our sleep. Without this directional process in place, it is hard to tell if the organism is dead or alive.

The portraying tendency can be warped or thwarted but can’t be wrecked without wrecking the organism. Have you ever noticed how everything in this universe thrives to fulfill some potential? Take a tree, for example. From its birth, it tries to grow and mature and reproduce. Even when it lacks the proper nutrients, sunlight or minerals, it continues to do without it until it can no more. In its process of surviving solely on its own, it is thriving to become. Life doesn’t give up unless it has too. It keeps on flourishing until it can no more.

Whenever I come across people whose life has been warped and despite their shortcomings, they are still striving to become something; I can’t help but think about the tree. Despite having highly unfavorable conditions, as well as a lack of resources to fuel their systems and minds, they have still managed to take one day at a time and strive on in hopes of a better future. Their directional tendency doesn’t allow them to give up and therefore, can be trusted. But to keep on moving isn’t all-natural and intrinsic. One has to work for it in the same manner that the tree does until it can no more.

Emotional intelligence is an important way to keep the flow… flowing. It is what keeps one going in abnormal, dark and twisted times. It is more than just a few approaches and techniques to manage and control emotions and feelings. It is similar to the directional tendency that teaches us what we must do to survive and do better. In layman’s terms, it is the acquisition of emotional awareness that we all were born with but forgot somewhere in the middle of growth and maturity. It is about managing our actions, responses, and reactions and also keeping a check on how they affect others around us.

We understand emotional intelligence in five different aspects. It is a combination of:

1.  Self-awareness: One’s ability to understand and recognize the arousing feelings and emotions and their impact on others. This begins with an introspective self-evaluation and later recognizing the motivating powers that lead to emotional satisfaction.

2.  Empathy: The art of understanding how others feel and how to shape responses based on them.

3.  Self-regulation: One’s ability to control any negative, impulsive, raw or disruptive emotions and respond to them in a better way.

4.  Motivation: One’s ability to self-motivate and focus on achieving self-gratification instead of some worldly praise or tangible reward. Those who can motivate themselves in such a manner tend to stay goal-oriented and make the best of tough situations

5.  Social Skills: One’s ability to manage others’ emotions using tools like understanding, affection, consideration, and care and use them to build a good rapport.

It suffices to say that the management of our emotions and the actions and behaviors that sprout from it, is crucial yet important. We have to make sure that we are doing all that is required to keep them in check. It isn’t only for those who interact with others daily, such as professionals in an office or a doctor in a clinic. It is something that guarantees healthy and stable relationships, and that balance we strive to maintain in our lives.

What more does emotional intelligence offer? Let’s take a look!

For starters, good emotional intelligence will help you make better decisions. You will stop acting on impulse and prevent reacting without proper knowledge and clarity. You will develop a sense of responsibility to seek the truth before judging or accusing someone of something –which, most of the time, is the only thing another person needs.

You are in a better position to explain yourself to others when you are in control of your emotions. Others also perceive you as more sensible when you don’t let your emotions get the best of you. This can pave the way for happiness in both your and the other person’s life.

When you quit giving your emotions and feelings the highest place and start to see things from another individual’s perspective, you can anticipate what makes them happy, sad or angry. You experience more empowerment and can know what it feels like to be in their shoes. This way, you are less likely to do things that cause unhappiness and create a wall between you and others. Not to forget the joy that fills the heart with content when we see a smile on the faces of those we love.

Your mental health improves as well, as you tend to develop a positive outlook and attitude on life. You feel more in power when you can manage your emotions. This also leads to stability and security in life as you come to the realization that nothing can affect your mood and peace of mind unless you allow it to.

And finally, your physical health becomes manageable too as you can control the amount of stress you feel. When you develop the skills needed to respond to your reactions to stress, you allow more predictability in your life and ultimately less stress and anxiety – something that is known to improve overall well being.

With these benefits in mind, you can expect to grow both personally and professionally. You are no longer labeled as damaged goods when you begin to weep over death in a TV show or called highly-sensitive or a weakling. You will gain more control over how you choose to show or hide the emotions you feel, thanks to emotional intelligence.