Over the past few years, emotional intelligence (or EQ as it is commonly referred to) has become one of the most popular psychology theories. Many feel that this theory can be applied to all areas of life, not just in professional settings but also at home with your loved ones.

This theory was created by Daniel Goleman back in 1989 when he published his book “Emotional Intelligence”. Since then, many experts have contributed to the field by offering their own ideas about what makes up emotional intelligence.

We now know that there are six major domains that make up emotion intelligence. These include: motivation, self-control, empathy, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsibility.

While some people may think that only having high levels of empathy or understanding emotions is important, we know that it is actually being able to identify our own feelings and those of others that is the key to happiness.

In fact, research shows that someone who is highly empathic will enjoy their career more than anyone else would. This is because they understand how other people feel which helps them to keep track of what things motivate different individuals.

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If you want to see if your emotional intelligence is strong or weak, you can use a test designed to assess each area.

Look at your reactions

Are you always smiling? Is there an expression on your face when you talk about important people in your life, or are you constantly looking depressed with no smile on your face?

If you notice that this is how most people around you seem to be acting, it may indicate low emotional intelligence (EI).

People who have high EI understand that changing their moods can influence the emotions of those around them. They also recognize that others’ behaviors affect their own feelings.

So, they choose different behavior patterns to get different results.

On the other hand, people with lower EI tend to feel hurt more quickly due to perceived insults or threats. This sometimes leads to fights or arguments that could potentially harm relationships.

You may know some people like this already – maybe a friend or family member that seems to never really calm down after a disagreement. Or someone who gets angry very easily because of something trivial.

If this describes you or someone you know, here are some strategies for improving his or her EQ.

Watch how you interact with others

When trying to assess someone’s emotional intelligence, one must pay close attention to how they behave towards people.

Does this person treat their friends with respect and appreciation? Do they show empathy when talking about difficult subjects? These are some signs that they have high emotional quotient (EQ).

On the other hand, might they be very critical and judgemental of people? If so, then that is something to look into as well! They may have low EQ.

There are many different types of emotional intelligence. Some examples include:

* Empathy – being able to relate to and understand what other people go through
* Receptivity – being open to new experiences and concepts
* Commitment -being willing to put in the effort necessary to do things
* Following rules – establishing consistency as part of your personality
* Self-control – being able to regulate your emotions and actions

Some experts believe that EQ can be learned and improved upon. This is why it is important to identify the areas where you feel your emotional intelligence needs work and make changes accordingly.

Ask yourself what your emotional intelligence is like

There are many ways to evaluate how well you manage your own emotions, but one of the most straightforward is to ask yourself if you feel these things for yourself and then compare those answers with someone else’s.

It can be difficult to tell whether someone has good or poor emotional intelligence unless you have direct exposure to them on a regular basis.

So instead of guessing at their level of EI, test yours by asking why you feel a certain way and see if there's a logical reason behind it.

By being aware of your own strengths and weaknesses in terms of emotion regulation, you can work on improving both areas.

Take tests to see your emotional intelligence

Many people believe that being emotionally intelligent means you are able to show empathy and identify emotions in other people. However, there is a different way to measure emotional intelligence. This alternative definition looks at how well you control your own feelings and relate to others based on their moods.

This type of EI is also referred to as self-control or emotion regulation. There are several ways to test yourself on this element of EQ. The two most common types of tests for this focus more on identifying whether you use strategies to regulate your emotions or not.

You can either be using them or looking for signs that you don’t use them. Some examples of strategies include talking about things before you do something, thinking of good reasons why someone might feel bad, practicing relaxation techniques, etc.

Alternatively, you could look for indications that you overreact to situations, such as becoming very angry when some thing happens that really has little importance to you.

Learn to be more emotional intelligent

People who are emotionally intelligent recognize that emotions have a source and they learn how to manage their own emotions as well as other people’s.

People with high emotional intelligence understand that we all experience feelings, and these feelings arise due to perceptions and experiences.

They realize that you cannot always control your thoughts and beliefs, but you can choose how you respond to things.

By learning how to regulate your emotions, you will also gain self-awareness because you will be aware of how you feel at this moment.

You will also become more conscious of the effects that your actions have on others. You will know when someone is feeling down and what you can do to make them feel better.

Emotionally intelligent individuals tend to use empathy and compassion to help other people feel good about themselves and life. They believe that everyone has something valuable to offer society and that we should never judge another person or group of people.

Generalizations are not helpful, so they try to identify with how someone might perceive them or talk about them. This helps them avoid making assumptions and being prejudiced against anyone.

The opposite of emotional intelligence is emotional deprivation. These individuals may lack certain emotions, or they could be too obsessed with their emotions.

Some people enjoy having strong emotions, but it is not healthy to be completely invested in your reactions.

Emotions connect us to each other and contribute to our overall happiness.

Develop your emotional self-awareness

One of the most important things you can do as an individual is recognize how you influence others’ emotions.

This is considered a form of emotional intelligence (EI). You are aware of your own feelings, and you use them effectively to motivate yourself and other people around you.

You also know what makes someone else feel good or bad, which helps you gain their trust and cooperation.

On the flip side, when someone else is in an unhappy state, you can help them deal with that emotion by suggesting different strategies they could try.

If they decide to do something, then it is likely to have a positive effect on them and thus on their mental health.

Here are some ways to develop your emotional self-awareness.

Be honest with yourself

When trying to measure someone’s emotional intelligence, you have to be very careful about what you are looking for. You cannot simply ask if they smiled when they should have been given an award or how many tears they could hold back while crying at a funeral.

These questions may seem easy to answer but they can easily be faked or superficial. If you asked people that whether they would help another person in need, some might say yes even though they usually don’t practice such altruism themselves.

So, before coming up with any final conclusions, make sure to check all your bases by asking more direct and meaningful questions. For example, did their friends talk about them? Did they show empathy towards others? Were they able to delay gratification?

You can also do some research and find out if there is anything available online about them.

Be honest with others

When trying to determine someone’s emotional intelligence, look no further than their interactions with people around them. Are they kind to everyone they come in contact with? Or do they seem to only hang out with a select group of people?

If you notice that some people are never seen without a bag full of junk food or a glass bottle of alcohol, then chances are they’re not very healthy. But, if you see them spending time with friends who enjoy good foods and contribute to society by giving back to charities, then they’re more likely to be balanced and emotionally intelligent.

People will tell you what they want you to know about themselves, so ask direct questions and listen intently. If there is one thing that keeps coming up, it may be important to address. You can also use indirect conversations to get answers – “What are your hobbies?” could lead to information about yourself.

Keep an open mind when listening to others. Even if something sounds weird or off, keep an eye on how they respond and what other things they say. Their actions and comments will usually give away some clues.