Until the middle of the last century it was common to think that people were intelligent if they could quickly solve logical and analytical problems. It wasn’t about developing emotional intelligence. However, in 1964, Michael Beldoch introduced another perspective.
This new perspective was based on sensitivity and emotional communication: emotional intelligence. Since the emergence of this concept, the theme has progressed markedly and has become very relevant.
- Was this relevance primarily in the midst of psychology and psychological knowledge ?.
- Although it can be studied and applied to many other areas of knowledge.
- Now.
- What exactly is emotional intelligence?.
Emotional intelligence is the ability to manage the emotional world, both in relation to ourselves and in relation to others, so it begins with self-awareness and, secondly, involves social awareness and involves understanding that many of our behaviors and decisions are based on emotional aspects.
In addition, emotional intelligence can be learned if we have the right tools. In this article you will find two exercises to develop emotional intelligence.
“Emotional intelligence accounts for 80% of success in life. “- Daniel Goleman-
Emotions play a fundamental role in our lives: they are responsible for many of our decisions and above all for what we feel at a given time Happy, sad, distressed, excited, motivated?
Even if we are rational animals, emotions can determine much of our behaviors and attitudes. In addition, emotions help us stay alive, after all, we are social animals.
Emotions are responsible for the proper functioning of interpersonal relationships, through which we are able to ensure our survival. Emotional intelligence is a tool that allows the organization of the group and promotes the proper functioning of social structures.
However, it is not always that we manage or know how to manage emotions, especially if they are related to difficult situations such as the loss of a loved one; However, people with high levels of emotional intelligence will be able to accept and treat negative emotions. emotions in the best possible way.
This means being aware of emotions, accepting them and generating responsibility in their management, are the fundamental skills to achieve well-being.
Therefore, it is very important to know the emotions of childhood, in this way it will be easier to acquire skills to manage the different emotional states that we can feel, reduce those that cause us discomfort and increase the range of positive emotions.
In addition, understanding the nature of emotions will help us understand ourselves and more easily accept what we feel; on the other hand, it will help to identify emotions in others, thus improving our connection with them.
Sometimes emotions can interfere in our day-to-day life, in our work or in our relationships with others, so knowing certain exercises to develop emotional intelligence can be of great help, below are two very effective exercises in this regard.
Wanting to sweep your feelings under the carpet or get carried away by your emotions are not highly recommended behaviors, this attitude can lead us to overreact or cause a very deep discomfort for everything we end up keeping in us.
To prevent this from happening, we must exercise our self-control, the first step in doing so is to identify the emotions we feel and then know how to proceed, in the case of rabies, for example, we need to identify why we feel this way as soon as possible.
Are we mad at someone else for what they did? Or, on the contrary, do our feelings arise because we have had a bad day? Was it a specific event? Or several small events?
Understanding why our emotions usually help to manage and change them, in addition, it is important to think about why we feel something, many times the answer to this question will reveal its function or the hidden need that led us to it.
The next step would be to accept this emotion rather than reject it, that is, observe without judgment and then deepen the understanding of what she is trying to tell us. Of course, if it were too intense, we might have to take more drastic action.
Sometimes we have to get away from what causes the emotion, or at least put the trigger aside for a few moments, however, we must first understand that.
After performing this retreat exercise, even if it is temporary, we can do breathing, relaxation or meditation exercises to calm down and decrease the intensity of the emotion.
In any case, this exercise of self-control will help us to stop for a moment, to evaluate the path we are taking and to think, which will always lead to a decrease in emotional intensity.
Identifying how we feel, what the function of emotion is, and what you can do for us is one of the best exercises to develop emotional intelligence.
Positive emotions determine our emotional well-being. A motivated, optimistic and enthusiastic person will progress more than someone with feelings of discouragement, disappointment and apathy.
Therefore, it is very important to identify thoughts that provoke negative emotions and make us feel bad all the time, so that we can move away from them.
To achieve this goal, we can record our positive emotions and add them to the list, so we can write together with emotions what activities, situations or people can be associated with each of them.
Reading the list at the beginning of the day and thinking about the activities we can do is a way to have more positive emotions on a day-to-day.
Another exercise in developing emotional intelligence may be to identify the positive emotions that you want to increase and think about the different circumstances that can generate them. In this way, we can get these sensations.
Or we can just think about the little details that surround us every day and that make us a little happier. They exist! We just need to figure it out.
As we see, emotional intelligence is a fundamental pillar of our lives, which we can develop if we commit to it. Success in this business is a complex process, but it is possible.
Don’t be discouraged along the way. We need time to appreciate the effects of exercise to develop emotional intelligence. The sooner you start, the faster you’ll see the results.