Head Over Feels: 6 Practices of EQ For a Better You
Intelligence Quotient (IQ) measures a person’s intellectual prowess. Some say that intelligence alone can make a person achieve even the most sophisticated professions we have today such as physicians, lawyers, and even future leaders. However, most claim that the genuinely successful individuals in any given field also have high Emotional Quotient (EQ)
EQ is the measure of emotional intelligence, the ability to manage one’s emotions and understand others.
It plays a great part in many aspects of your life like how you make big decisions, handle stress, and how well you can build good relationships.
Technically speaking, both work hand in hand in the thinking process of an individual, and neither is more important. But EQ is often overlooked for IQ because the latter is thought to be the only key to one’s success. But emotions run deeper than one would imagine.
Emotional Intelligence In Life
Day-to-day encounters can be tough when paired with a bad weather and a messy hairdo. It is not enough that you lack sleep, cramming deadlines, and dealing with a tight allowance to top it all off! Here are six ways to improve your EQ while keeping your emotions in check, and in return, improve your life.
Finding The Inner Peace
To achieve a peace of mind means having to stop those anger bubbles brewing inside of you when things didn’t go your way. So what if your friend cancelled at the last minute on your group study plans? Or your classmate failed to return your favorite pen? These things can be easily forgiven if you try to understand. One thing you can go about this is to never assume. What if there was an emergency and your friend couldn’t make it? What if your classmate simply forgot to return your pen? Take a pause, step back, and look at the picture from all angles before jumping to conclusions. Sometimes, you just may have misunderstood the situation.
Another way of dodging disappointments over things you have zero control over is to never expect. “Hope for the best and expect the worst,” as you will. Conditioning yourself to accept whatever outcome of any situation will help you become emotionally and mentally prepared. It can be difficult since you always hope to win in competitions or come out on top in any situation. But if you’ll focus more on the experience you’ll get out of it, you’ll find yourself having fun while learning
Keeping Your Cool
Things will always be tough and it never ends. Once you got over a problem, another will arise. Sometimes, they all appear at the same time! If you find yourself in such suffocating encounter, there is always the “going out for fresh air” technique. No, really, it actually works! Take your time to clear your head away from stress before coming back in to deal with the problem. If you have more time in your hands, you can do more physical exercises like hitting the gym, playing sports, or dancing! These will serve as good outlets to lower your stress levels after a long, never-ending, not so very good day
Stay Strong, Amigo!
"Ugh, why did I do that? I should have never listened to my friends" is not an uncommon thought for most people. We all want to feel like we belong and not bring the mood down. But when you are hanging out with your friends, it doesn’t mean you have to follow what they do and say just to prove that you are “cool” or that you’re “with them.” If you are uncomfortable, find it in yourself to express how you honestly feel and explain why. Good friends will hear you out and understand. Stick to your guns. Peer pressure is only as strong as you (and your friends!) let it be. Be confident and assert yourself.
Think Before You Act
There will always be people who will say or do things that upset you. Maybe even to the point of breaking your patience. And that’s okay, it’s natural to be angry at a person. What actually matters more is how you will respond to that whirlwind of emotions going through you which can (and will) ruin your day. Do you feel yourself bursting into screams? How do you think will this affect the person? Will it make the situation better? How should you deal with this? Take a deep breath and count to 10. This will give you enough time to calm down and think of a better way to respond. Empathize with the other person and put yourself in his or her shoes. They might have it worse than you, no matter how you think otherwise. If you do this, you’ll react to your feelings more appropriately rather than adding salt to the wound.
Keep Your Eyes on The Prize
Everybody has to have dreams to get somewhere, but not everybody succeeds on their first try. Don’t be afraid to fail. When you do, pick yourself up and move forward. Henry Ford, the founder of Ford Motor Company, encountered numerous failures during the first productions of his automobile. Thomas Edison failed 1,000 times before he invented the light bulb. What they both had in common was having the right attitude and unbending determination to keep pushing forward. The internal rewards such as the joy in doing what you love, eagerness to learn, and the fulfillment of being immersed in an activity will serve as your fuel to get there.
Shower Your Friends and Family with Love
To be emotionally intelligent doesn’t stop with how well you can internalize your emotions. It also shows through your interactions with other people and how sensitive you are to their feelings — your family, your friends, and even your significant other! Build good relationships and nurture them by showing how much you appreciate them. Hug your family, tell your best buddy how much of a good friend he or she is, bring flowers and chocolates to your girlfriend (or boyfriend)! Always remember to show respect, compassion, and good manners. Keep in mind that what you want and need to be happy is no different from theirs.
Emotions will always be stronger than our better judgement. Just think of how many times you feel scared, angry, or happy for very small reasons! Having a good grasp of your own emotions will help you know more about yourself, give you the right attitude, and make the best out of any situation in this rollercoaster ride of life.
