EQ Holding You Back???
By Carisa Holmes-Peters
I have some questions for you.When reading these questions, if the questions resonate with you, then please continue on. If you don’t think they sound like you, how about you hang in there with me anyway. Brushing up on your emotional intelligence awareness in the workplace is always worth it. So, no waste of precious time happening here! It can help you in all parts of your life, and often those who need to improve their EQ the most, don’t even see it!
How is your emotional intelligence? Let’s check it out with these few questions:
- Do you struggle to manage your own emotions?
- Do you feel like you are being controlled by your thoughts and feelings?
- Have you ever had someone tell you that you don’t seem to understand them or that you lack empathy?
- Do you get uncomfortable around those that do share emotion?
- Do you struggle with accepting criticism?
- Have you ever struggled to say I am sorry?
After reading these questions you might be having a lot of swirling thoughts going around in your head. First off, give yourself grace if any of these sound like you as we are often just following what is ingrained in our human nature, and we can’t easily see things differently.
So what is EQ? EQ (Emotional Intelligence) is your ability to process the emotions of others, as well as your own in a more productive way.
I want to reiterate to you that we are all unique and have varying levels of EQ. It’s ok to acknowledge where you are. The good news is that you can develop your EQ over time by being self-aware and learning some tips on how to do that. Being more self-aware is certainly a skill-set that will help you at any level of your career, as well as your personal home life.
Rather than list all the tips out for you, I encourage you to watch this short video from MindTools. It shares how you can go about being more aware of your EQ ability and what you can do to improve it. There is also a brief quiz you can take to see where your level of EQ currently is.
I will be so bold as to promise you, if you make a concerted effort to work on your EQ you will experience positive outcomes. In your relationships, your physical health, and your mental health. You can experience a more fulfilled life by investing in your comprehension of EQ and embarking on a journey of self-awareness.
“It is very important to understand that emotional intelligence is not the opposite of intelligence, it is not the triumph of heart over head – it is the unique intersection of both.”
David Caruso, American Psychologist
Carisa Holmes has 25+ years of experience in leadership and office culture. She is currently an Owner and Administrator of Holmes Marketing Services. In her current role, she focuses mostly on Human Relations, Client Experience, and Office Culture.
