Emotional Intelligence: Understanding and Improving EQ

Author: Elaine Guo

Editors: Sophia Chen, Linzi Yeung

Artist: Helen Gong

Emotional intelligence (EQ), also known as emotional quotient, is the ability to recognize and manage your own emotions while understanding the feelings of those around you. This allows you to empathize with others to overcome challenges. EQ measures your emotional capability, which can be beneficial when communicating with others. A high emotional quotient helps you better understand why people behave the way they do and enables an awareness of how your words can affect others. Although certain comments can seem hostile, you can avoid dramatic altercations if you recognize their real intentions. Emotional intelligence is also essential in managing stress and improving your performance at school or work. 

There are 5 principal elements when considering your emotional intelligence:  self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills.  Self-awareness is comprehension of your strengths, weaknesses, beliefs, and emotions. Self-regulation refers to your response to different reactions, impulses, and behaviors. If you can recognize how you feel when put in varying situations, it’ll help you respond more effectively and appropriately. Empathy is having the capacity to acknowledge another person’s point of view, experiences, and emotions. This involves actively listening and paying attention when others are speaking. Empathy can boost engagement and make people feel more appreciated, encouraging stronger relationships. Motivation refers to your ability to inspire yourself and others to take action. It drives you to set goals and complete tasks, while enabling you or others to feel more confident. Lastly, social skills are how you perceive emotions when interacting  and communicating with others. The key to building and maintaining relationships is being able to assess the feelings of those around you. 

Improving your emotional intelligence is not only possible but can be quite simple. In challenging situations, slow down your reactions and self-regulate by considering your emotions before you act. Put effort into understanding what someone is communicating to you, whether it's verbal or nonverbal, by attempting to interpret the feelings behind facial expressions. To communicate effectively and considerately, make sure you get your point across without unintentionally offending others and showing empathy to let them know you understand what they’re going through. It’s best to give your full attention to those who are speaking and avoid any distractions by silencing notifications on your devices. Most importantly, consider your strengths and weaknesses in terms of communication because no one is perfect; it is okay to ask for guidance. 

In conclusion, emotional intelligence is an essential skill that you should develop because it greatly impacts your daily life, from personal relationships to the workplace. By working on the five main principles: self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, motivation, and social skills, you can improve your emotional intelligence. With consistent efforts, you can strengthen your EQ, making it easier to overcome challenges and build stronger connections with the people around you.

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