What is Emotional Intelligence?
Emotional Intelligence, or more commonly known as (EI) or (EQ), is defined in a variety of ways. Typically, it is the ability to be conscious of one’s emotions while also being able to express them and control them leading to great interpersonal relationships.
Traits of Emotionally Intelligent People
People who have high emotional intelligence have been found to also have these characteristics:
- They generally have a positive focus
- They choose to surround themselves with other positive people
- They know when to say no (and yes)
- They are highly empathetic
- If asked, they will describe themselves as generally happy people
- They set healthy boundaries
- Their focus is not on the past
- They tend to be as interested in others as they are interesting
- They know how to enjoy life!
Luckily, studies have shown that those that lack EQ can obtain it with some dedication, work, and time.
Find out how you rate by taking a free emotional intelligence test here!
There are Lots of Great Resources on Emotional Intelligence.
I suggest you dig into some of these bad boys if you need to improve your EQ (or just want more information on it; It’s a fascinating subject!)
Since I write to share ideas & products that I love, naturally my content may contain affiliate links. For more information, check out my Affiliate Disclosure here.
Each of these books are wonderful for helping you raise your emotional intelligence and even that of your child as they grow. Building emotional intelligence will help them both personally and professionally.
- Raising an Emotionally Intelligent Child, by John Gottman, PhD and Daniel Goleman
- While everyone understands the importance of teaching children the necessary intellectual skills that will help them succeed in life, this book dives into the necessary emotional skills that are equally necessary. It also tells parents how to teach them (while learning themselves.)
- Emotional Intelligence: 10th Anniversary Edition, by Daniel Goleman
- This book identifies the “two minds” of the human psyche – the rational mind, and the emotional mind, how they tie together, and how they make us who we are.
- Emotional Intelligence: Quick Guide to Develop Your Emotional Intelligence and Start Applying It Today, by William Wyatt
- This book teaches proven techniques to learn and improve emotional intelligence for anyone willing to learn.
- Emotional Intelligence For Children: The Busy Parent’s 30 Minute Blueprint To Raising an Emotionally Intelligent Child, by Alex Greer
- As the title says, this book offers a quick guide to teach children to control their emotions, while understanding others’ that will benefit them for their lifetime.
- SixSeconds – This is a great resource to help build emotional intelligence. It’s a site that is focused on positive change and goes into how much better a place the world would be if more people had higher EQs. Think about that for a minute!
- The Emotional Intelligence Consortium – This is an excellent website that offers reports, references, books and even a membership for people and organizations who are interested in the idea of emotional intelligence.
- MindTools – This website has different intellectual tools available, some of which are devoted to developing emotional intelligence. This is focused on business and team building through improving emotional intelligence. Escape games, anyone?
- Emotional Intelligence & MSCEIT – If you want academic information, tests, workshops, schools and more related to emotional intelligence this is a good place with reliable information.
- Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence – This is an excellent center with a program that seeks to improve the emotional intelligence of future generations through incorporating EI training into the community through schools and the community.
- Practical Emotional Intelligence – A website by Chris Golis that offers practical help for people wanting to learn more about EI. He is a speaker and trainer in emotional intelligence for individuals, businesses and teams and offers a lot of different training options and information regarding EI. He has a good list of resources and infographics about emotional intelligence.
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