Publish at November 06 2024 Updated November 06 2024
Emotions are an inherent part of being human. They often guide our decision-making. To make them more favorable, we need to cultivate emotional intelligence. How can we do this?
When it comes to characterizing a person, we tend to focus primarily on the intelligence quotient, yet the emotional quotient is just as important. Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize, understand and, above all, manage emotions. The ability to recognize other people's emotions is a key factor in managing social and professional relationships.
Whether positive or negative, an emotion can lead to decisions that are bound to have a definite effect. With this in mind, it makes sense to mobilize the skills needed to understand and manage these emotions, so as to optimize responsible decision-making in any given situation. Here are some tips and tricks for working on this intelligence.
Generally speaking, when faced with existential turmoil, we tend to rush into reaction. Yet one of the pillars of wisdom is the ability to remain silent, even when things are boiling inside. In fact, we would do well to listen more and talk less. In fact, the less we talk, the more we mobilize our senses to understand the other person's emotions. On this subject, Ayselline de Lardemelle says: "Behind emotions lie needs that it is essential to recognize."
The further we advance in perfecting our silence, the more reasoned our decision-making will be, because we'll have taken the time to perceive all the issues at stake at the time. Conversely, without this disposition, we risk making hasty, irreversible decisions that may have a regrettable impact on others.
When it comes to negative emotions, the focus is rightly on fear, stress and anger. In fact, there are countless articles on how to manage these emotions, and it's fair to say that they take center stage. On the other hand, self-deprecation should not be neglected. It's a characteristic of people who often lack self-confidence.
In reality, it's necessary to work on oneself and even practice a certain asceticism in order to improve on a daily basis. We should be our own marketers, and instead of being self-deprecating, we should celebrate our small victories in life, while noting the room for improvement we need to make in order to be even better.
Self-deprecation is toxic in that it affects decision-making. In fact, it prevents us from seizing certain opportunities that are necessary for a certain fulfillment. For example, a person in this situation will tend not to commit or to become easily discouraged in the face of adversity.
Joy is certainly a positive emotion, but at certain levels it can lead us astray. In a situation of extreme joy, you may no longer be in control of your actions. For example, in the match between Brazil and Cameroon at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Cameroon striker Aboubakar Vincent took off his shirt after scoring a goal against their opponents. In fact, he had already been shown the yellow card. In the brief moment following his goal, he was euphoric and forgot that removing his shirt is synonymous with a yellow card. In view of the above, he was shown a red card and sent off. This unfortunate decision left his team-mates outnumbered. Fortunately, it had no impact on the game, as Cameroon went on to win the match, a historic victory.
This example, though anecdotal, has the merit of highlighting the need to master this strong emotion. It takes daily practice to achieve a certain level of self-control. It's imperative to note that euphoria is a bad advisor, as the consequences are not always negligible. We sometimes lose control when we're in this emotional state.
In view of the foregoing, I don't claim to have covered everything, since emotions are numerous and require attitudes and reactions that differ from one situation to another. However, it seems worthwhile to know how to keep silent, free oneself from self-deprecation and tame euphoria in order to strengthen one's emotional intelligence.
Illustration: Victoria on Pixabay
Sources
3 clinically proven tips for managing your emotions simply
https://www.la-clinique-e-sante.com/blog/emotions/conseils-gerer-ses-emotions
Managing emotions: skills, exercises and strategies
https://www.betterup.com/fr/blog/emotional-regulation-skills
Emotions and decision-making
https://shs.cairn.info/revue-francaise-de-gestion-2008-2-page-33
What is emotional intelligence?
https://www.livi.fr/en-bonne-sante/intelligence-emotionnelle/
Increasing your emotional intelligence
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzFCb7SUUZc
Vincent Aboubakar's Qatar World Cup red card moment
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/-AslkiAuv-U
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