Do you know in a single day, we can experience a multitude of emotions?
There are many different types of emotions we experience. They're not technically negative or positive, nor good or bad - though they are labelled and thought of that way. Emotions are states of mind/signals that help us to understand what's happening in the moment and how we feel about it.
Many people confuse their emotions with their feelings. Feelings are related to our emotions, but they are more specific in nature. For example, if I say I'm Angry" that's expressing a basic emotion but the actually feeling that I experience through my anger may be resentfulness, aggression, frustration and the list goes on and on. Feelings are also a learned response to an emotional trigger and are influenced by our environment. For example, we all experience the basic emotion of fear; however, we experience feelings of fear i.e. anxiousness, insecurity, rejection, differently based on our emotional triggers. Additionally, if you were raised in an environment where it was taught to be ashamed of your emotions, then it could be extremely difficult for you to express your true feelings.
Therefore, it's extremely important that we put in the inner work to ensure that our emotions as well as our feelings do not hold us back from achieving our goals and being all that we are destined to be. The key is practicing emotional intelligence with the foundation of self-awareness to properly recognize, understand, manage and regulate our emotions which is a huge part of our personal wellness and well-being.
In fact, research has shown that your EIQ is far more significance than your IQ and accounts for personal and professional success!
As we prepare for the New Year, here are five strategies you can use to boost your emotional intelligence:
1. Identify your emotions and be aware of your feelings.
The Plutchik Wheel of Emotions can help you identify your emotions and their intensity. Created by Robert Plutchik in 1980, it has eight primary/core emotions: joy, fear, surprise, anger, trust, sadness, disgust, and anticipation. The inner circle of the wheel shows the most intense versions of these emotions; as you move outward, they become less intense.
You can learn to use the wheel as a tool for developing self-awareness, which is the foundation of emotional intelligence and literacy. The wheel helps you identify the primary emotion underlying your feelings, so that you can understand better what triggers those feelings. It also helps you understand other people's emotions and how to communicate more effectively with them.
2. Identify your emotional triggers.
One of the most effective ways to improve your emotional intelligence is to identify and understand the feelings that trigger you. When you know what makes you feel a certain way, you can take the necessary steps to create a positive response rather than a negative reaction through your emotions. For example, if someone says something that makes you feel angry, instead of responding with feelings of anger or in a hostile manner, ask yourself:
Why am I feeling this way?
What caused me to feel that way?
Is this a reasonable and productive response?
What can I do differently to have a productive response?
3. Determine likely consequences/impact of negative responds.
When it comes to boosting your emotional intelligence, another important thing you can do is determine likely consequences/impact of negative responds. This will help you be better prepared for dealing with people who might not agree with you or support your ideas.
Emotional intelligence isn't just about recognizing and understanding your own emotions and feelings—it's also about being able to understand others as well. And if you don't know what kind of response you'll have when someone confronts you or disagrees with you, then how can you expect them to know it? That's why it's so important to take time before making big decisions and taking big actions in order to make sure that you're prepared for the consequences.
It's all about making sure that you're ready for whatever happens next. You want to be able to handle any situation with grace and ease, so that no matter what happens, your reaction is appropriate, professional and beneficial for you and others.
4. Practice mindfulness habits and behaviors daily.
Mindfulness is a powerful tool for boosting your emotional intelligence. It might sound like a lot of work, but it's actually pretty simple: all you have to do is practice being aware of what's happening in your environment and how it makes you feel. You can start practicing mindfulness habits and behaviors right now!
Here are a few ideas for your daily mindfulness practice:
Take a few minutes each morning to sit quietly, breathe deeply, and focus on being present in the moment. Also, take a moment each day to reflect on your emotions. This can be done at any time, but it's best if you do it first thing in the morning, before anything else distracts you or gets in the way of your ability to focus on yourself.
Make sure that your environment is conducive to mindfulness. It should be quiet and free from distractions like phones or other people.
When you're feeling stressed out, burnt out or overwhelmed, take a break to do something relaxing. Different mindfulness activities include: affirmations, meditation, reading, journaling, walking and breathwork/breathing.
5. Practice effective listening skills.
When you're in a conversation, it's important to pay attention both to what the other person is saying and how they're saying it. If you do this, you'll be able to understand where they are coming from and how they feel about a situation. You'll also be able to respond appropriately and help them feel heard and understood.
Asking questions is another great strategy for boosting your emotional intelligence. When you ask questions, it shows that you want to know more about something and you're interested in what someone has to say. It can help build trust between two people because it lets them know that both parties are invested in understanding one another better.
In the end, it's important to remember that we are all human and experience emotions and feelings differently. So, as we move forward into 2023, remember to focus and prioritize your emotional intelligence for your personal wellness and well-being. It will help you make good decisions, manage your stress, communicate effectively and build healthy relationships so you can achieve success in various areas of your life.
Are you really living your BEST Life?
This daily guided journal/workbook will help you create a healthy mindset for your inner and outer reality. You'll learn how to break unhealthy habits and replace them with empowering ones. You'll discover your own identity, develop positive self-thinking, and make holistic improvements in every area of your life!
For more information and services to help you to Elevate2Wellness, check out my website and feel free to message me here to connect!