When was the last time you felt truly happy? I’m talking about an internal state of well-being, not one filled with superficial smiles and laughter. A sense of contentment that comes from within, not outside forces like what kind of house you own or how much money you have. It’s being awake instead of asleep […]

When was the last time you felt truly happy?
I’m talking about an internal state of well-being, not one filled with superficial smiles and laughter. A sense of contentment that comes from within, not outside forces like what kind of house you own or how much money you have.
It’s being awake instead of asleep at night. It’s having enough food to eat and sleep for eight hours every day. And it’s knowing that you’ve got this thing called self control in situations that demand it.
We’re referring to emotional intelligence (or EQ) as the ability to recognize, understand, and manage your emotions. The more you practice it, the better you will be at working through difficult times and staying motivated during times when things aren’t going so well.
There are lots of ways to test your emotional IQ, but none seem quite as good as the ones here. They’ll also all take around ten minutes to complete, which can make them perfect for busy people.
The first two tests below were created by psychologist Daniel Goleman back in 1987, while he was teaching psychology at Harvard University. Since then they’ve been adapted, improved, and made accessible to anyone worldwide.
Goleman himself is considered one of the world’s foremost experts on emotional intelligence, and his work has had a massive influence over the field.

Another important aspect of emotional intelligence is social awareness. This includes knowing what to look for when interacting with people, as well as being aware of how other people perceive you.
It also means realizing that not everyone will like you or view you in the same way. While some may admire your achievements, others may feel threatened by them.
Social awareness can be tricky at times because it requires knowledge of not just yourself, but others too.
However, having high levels of emotional intelligence isn’t only helpful for career success, it also helps us achieve personal goals such as saving money, eating healthier foods, and staying within budget.
Emotional intelligence has been linked to higher self-esteem and happiness. And while we all might not have total control over our emotions, being more aware of our feelings can help us deal better with strong ones.
So next time you think someone else is acting a little bit crazy, try to understand their situation first before labeling them as bad persons.
And if you find out they really are bad persons, then walk away! Never put up with violence or abuse.
Disclaimer: The link above is an affiliate link which reimburses me for purchases made via Shopify.com.

A way to test if you are more emotionally intelligent is by comparing yourself with others. If you feel that most people have something like this as a skill, then you probably are not.
That could be because there are different definitions of what emotional intelligence is, but mostly it comes down to someone’s ability to recognize their own feelings and those of other people, and how to manage them.
So, try asking some questions about this to determine just how much emotion intelligence you have.

One of the biggest keys to emotional intelligence is learning how to regulate your emotions. It’s not that you should always be feeling something, it’s just that you should know what will intensify an emotion and what will reduce it.
Many people have good control over their emotions in certain situations, but when there are changes in things such as relationships, jobs or life circumstances, they can get very stressed out. These stresses may even bring up past hurt feelings which then feed into more stress.
It’s important to learn how to manage your stress so that it does not grow larger than what you can bear. There are several strategies for doing this.
One of these strategies is using early warning signs of stress. By being aware of the symptoms before they worsen, you can take steps to prevent the expression of those symptoms.
Another strategy is practicing relaxation exercises, either alone or with someone else. This could be listening to music, taking a bath, or performing simple breathing exercises.
You can also work on getting sleep, eating well, and engaging in activities you enjoy. All of these help promote overall wellness and decrease stress.

When things get scary or stressful, your body goes through some changes to prepare for a potential threat.
Your heart beats faster, you may feel sweaty, and/or you can’t sleep because of worries. These are all signs that your body is preparing for action.
But when thoughts about the stressors in our lives become more important than what effect they have on us, then we’re not coping effectively.
This isn’t normal reaction process.
So how do you manage your reactions? Here are some tips.
1) Recognize what’s making you stressed out
It may be helpful to recognize what’s causing you stress. For example, if you find yourself worried about money, ask yourself whether this concern is reasonable. If it is, try to reduce it by reducing spending, saving, etc.
If it’s something you’ve been thinking about longer than just a few minutes, consider talking to someone else about it.

Developing your emotional literacy is a skill that can be practiced, learned, and improved upon. While some people are born with higher levels of emotional intelligence than others, everyone can learn how to recognize and manage their own emotions as well as those of other people.
Many professionals develop their emotional skills through education or self-practice. For example, nurses must hone their empathy skills because such individuals interact with patients on a frequent basis. Business students learn about leadership styles from studying different models of management, like the one used by Steve Jobs at Apple.
Emotional literacy can also be cultivated in the workplace through interactive training events or exercises. This way, employees don’t have to worry about figuring out what buttons need to be pressed internally before they go into an appropriate mode.
Research shows that people who are emotionally intelligent are more likely to enjoy their job and achieve career success. Also, researchers find that EI is linked to better physical health and wellness.