According to most mental health professionals in the US, emotional intelligence is the skill of discerning others’ feelings while managing your own emotions effectively. Those with high emotional intelligence possess a keen awareness of the emotional currents around them, understand how their own emotions influence situations, and adeptly navigate intricate emotional landscapes. Individuals with distant parents might struggle with emotional intelligence. Similarly, those who develop mental health disorders may find these challenges hinder their ability to enhance emotional intelligence without professional help.
Before exploring why enhancing your emotional intelligence is essential, it’s crucial to understand its key components and their impact on daily life. Emotional intelligence consists of five main elements. While you may excel in certain areas more than others, each component is vital to the overall picture.
Emotional self-regulation is a fundamental aspect of emotional intelligence. It involves controlling your impulses and emotions instead of letting them control you. This doesn’t mean being unemotional; experiencing strong emotions is vital for a healthy, fulfilling life. Managing emotions without allowing them to dictate your actions is a clear indicator of emotional intelligence. For instance, feeling frustrated when cut off in traffic is normal, but reacting with rage and aggression is not healthy. Similarly, sadness from a breakup is natural, but someone with high emotional intelligence can manage this emotion, allowing them to continue functioning in daily life, such as working and socializing, despite their sadness.
Motivation is a cornerstone of emotional intelligence, particularly the kind that springs from within. Individuals with high emotional intelligence often prioritize intrinsic motivation, drawing inspiration from internal rewards rather than external incentives. This inner drive fuels success across various life domains, including:
- Creative endeavors
- Professional responsibilities
- Physical fitness
- Personal growth
People with high emotional intelligence view problems as opportunities for growth, challenge, or improvement.
Self-awareness is crucial to emotional intelligence. Highly emotionally intelligent individuals understand their emotions, recognize the differences between them, and know how these emotions can affect their thoughts and actions.
Individuals with low emotional intelligence often let their emotions control their lives, leading to increased stress and a higher risk of mental health issues like depression, burnout, or anxiety. By actively working to enhance your emotional intelligence, you can significantly reduce stress. This enables you to manage feelings of anxiety, sadness, or anger more effectively, preventing these emotions from dictating your actions.
As an ICF-certified leadership coach, I work with executives who falter in their work because they lack emotional intelligence and always allow fear and doubt to determine their response to situations. When I bring up the topic with clients, I frequently encounter resistance and denial. You are often the last to realize you lack emotional intelligence.
I advise my clients to regularly engage in mindfulness, breathing exercises, and physical activity. Consistent practice creates the opportunity for self-reflection and personal growth.
Enhancing your emotional intelligence is a valuable goal. Many, however, struggle to understand how to make these improvements for better mental health. Often, the guidance of dedicated mental health professionals is essential to achieve the desired progress.
If your daily practices aren’t bringing you results, consider consulting a mental health professional. Set aside any preconceived notions and seek the peace you deserve.
Joia Jefferson Nuri, PCC, is certified by the International Coaching Federation (ICF) as an Executive Leadership and Public Speaking Coach. She uses positive psychology to help clients overcome self-doubt and unlock their true potential. Specializing in guiding both individuals and organizations, Joia moves them from their ‘zone of excellence to their zone of genius’™, breaking through self-imposed limits to achieve their highest vision.
Her leadership and team-building workshops highlight the seven C’s of effectiveness: Capability, Cooperation, Coordination, Communication, Cognition, Coaching, and Conditions. Each element is essential for a team to thrive and excel.
Her distinguished clientele features leaders from global tech firms, associations, government agencies, higher education institutions, investment companies, and notable women leaders from India, Papua New Guinea, and England.
She coaches, speaks on panels, and contributes to the nationally syndicated radio show, The Price of Business. She also hosts the podcast “Unshackled Leadership: A Lantern for Black Women.”
Joia has created impactful Congressional and City Council testimonies, addressed Congress, and written Ivy League commencement speeches and 14 TEDx Talks. Joia brings a wealth of experience to her coaching work. For over a decade, she crafted human rights communications strategies for prominent figures like Harry Belafonte and Danny Glover, affording her the opportunity to work throughout the US, Europe, Africa and South America.
Website: https://inthepubliceyecoaching.com/
In The Public Eye Coaching https://inthepubliceyecoaching.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joiajeffersonnuri/
Twitter/X: @joianuripcc