Living and leading with emotional intelligence

Suppressing emotions can lead to physical and mental illness. Feeling and managing one's emotions and that of a team is a leadership skill

How do you relate to your emotions? Here is a simple test to help determine that. As you read the question I next have for you, make a mental note of where your focus and awareness are shifting.

The question is: How are you feeling right now? Take a pause. Pay attention to yourself and write down the 3 words that came to your mind in response to the question. If the words you jotted down weren't the typical 'okay', 'better', 'think', 'tired', or 'hungry', you are among the few who are able to identify their feelings without intellectualizing it. You'll be surprised to know how many people end up 'thinking' and articulating their thoughts even when invited to share how they are 'feeling'.

"Emotions are energy in motion. They need to move through us, be felt fully and expressed.

Otherwise, they get stored in different parts of our body, and repressed emotions, over time, affect not just our health but also our relationships, work, and the ability to enjoy and live life fully," says Akanksha Thakore, a mental wellbeing professional and founder of Ripple Effect in Mumbai."Unfortunately, as a society we are neither taught emotional intelligence nor encouraged to practise it," Thakore says.

Emotional intelligence is broadly defined as a person's ability to recognize and contextualise their emotions and the emotions of others. It is, therefore, both intrapersonal intelligence and interpersonal intelligence.

While our rational intelligence focuses on facts and logical reasoning, emotional intelligence relates to how we apply those facts and reasoning. The cornerstones of emotional intelligence are self-awareness, self-management, and social awareness.

THE CORNERSTONES