When it comes to happiness and success in life, emotional intelligence (EQ) matters just as much as intellectual ability (IQ). Emotional intelligence helps you build stronger relationships, succeed at work, and achieve your career and personal goals.

What is emotional intelligence?

Emotional intelligence (EQ) is the ability to identify, use, understand, and manage emotions in positive ways to relieve stress, communicate effectively, empathize with others, overcome challenges, and defuse conflict. Emotional intelligence impacts many different aspects of your daily life, such as the way you behave and the way you interact with others.

[sociallocker id=”5862″]If you have a high emotional intelligence you are able to recognize your own emotional state and the emotional states of others and engage with people in a way that draws them to you. You can use this understanding of emotions to relate better to other people, form healthier relationships, achieve greater success at work, and lead a more fulfilling life.

Emotional intelligence consists of four attributes:

  • Self-awareness – You recognize your own emotions and how they affect your thoughts and behavior, know your strengths and weaknesses, and have self-confidence.
  • Self-management – You’re able to control impulsive feelings and behaviors, manage your emotions in healthy ways, take initiative, follow through on commitments, and adapt to changing circumstances.Happy Couple
  • Social awareness – You can understand the emotions, needs, and concerns of other people, pick up on emotional cues, feel comfortable socially, and recognize the power dynamics in a group or organisation.
  • Relationship management – You know how to develop and maintain good relationships, communicate clearly, inspire and influence others, work well in a team, and manage conflict.

Why is emotional intelligence (EQ) so important?

As we know, it’s not the smartest people that are the most successful or the most fulfilled in life. You probably know people who are academically brilliant and yet are socially inept and unsuccessful at work or in their personal relationships. Intellectual intelligence or IQ isn’t enough on its own to be successful in life. IQ can help you get a good job but it’s EQ that will help you manage the stress and emotions of during the course of your career.

Emotional intelligence affects:

  • Your performance at work. Emotional intelligence can help you navigate the social complexities of the workplace, lead and motivate others, and excel in your career. In fact, when it comes to gauging job candidates, many companies now view emotional intelligence as being as important as technical ability and require EQ testing before hiring.
  • Your physical health. If you’re unable to manage your stress levels, it can lead to serious health problems. Uncontrolled stress can raise blood pressure, suppress the immune system, increase the risk of heart attack and stroke, contribute to infertility, and speed up the aging process. The first step to improving emotional intelligence is to learn how to relieve stress.
  • Your mental health. Uncontrolled stress can also impact your mental health, making you vulnerable to anxiety and depression. If you are unable to understand and manage your emotions, you’ll also be open to mood swings, while an inability to form strong relationships can leave you feeling lonely and isolated.
  • Your relationships. By understanding your emotions and how to control them, you’re better able to express how you feel and understand how others are feeling. This allows you to communicate more effectively and forge stronger relationships, both at work and in your personal life.
Emotional intelligence requires strong emotional literacy in order to accurately identify emotional estates in others and most importantly in yourself.  Here is a list that will help you enrich your emotional vocabulary and will enable you to succeed in your efforts of being emotionally savvy.

Primary emotionSecondary emotionTertiary emotions
LoveAffectionAdoration, affection, love, fondness, liking, attraction, caring, tenderness, compassion, sentimentality
LustArousal, desire, lust, passion, infatuation
LongingLonging
JoyCheerfulnessAmusement, bliss, cheerfulness, gaiety, glee, jolliness, joviality, joy, delight, enjoyment, gladness, happiness, jubilation, elation, satisfaction, ecstasy, euphoria
ZestEnthusiasm, zeal, zest, excitement, thrill, exhilaration
ContentmentContentment, pleasure
PridePride, triumph
OptimismEagerness, hope, optimism
EnthrallmentEnthrallment, rapture
ReliefRelief
SurpriseSurpriseAmazement, surprise, astonishment
AngerIrritationAggravation, irritation, agitation, annoyance, grouchiness, grumpiness
ExasperationExasperation, frustration
RageAnger, rage, outrage, fury, wrath, hostility, ferocity, bitterness, hate, loathing, scorn, spite, vengefulness, dislike, resentment
DisgustDisgust, revulsion, contempt
EnvyEnvy, jealousy
TormentTorment
SadnessSufferingAgony, suffering, hurt, anguish
SadnessDepression, despair, hopelessness, gloom, glumness, sadness, unhappiness, grief, sorrow, woe, misery, melancholy
DisappointmentDismay, disappointment, displeasure
ShameGuilt, shame, regret, remorse
NeglectAlienation, isolation, neglect, loneliness, rejection, homesickness, defeat, dejection, insecurity, embarrassment, humiliation, insult
SympathyPity, sympathy
FearHorrorAlarm, shock, fear, fright, horror, terror, panic, hysteria, mortification
NervousnessAnxiety, nervousness, tenseness, uneasiness, apprehension, worry, distress, dread

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: Jeanne Segal, Ph.D. &  The Chopra Center for Wellbeing[/sociallocker]