5 Effective Strategies to Enhance Emotional Intelligence

In 2000, after reading the book EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE by Daniel Goleman, I got hooked. There are 5 simple ways I discovered that boost your emotional intelligence and in turn reduce your stress and increase your happiness levels. Here they are…

Triggers awareness

Think about what triggers negative emotions in you. What rubs you the wrong way? What angers you? Once you know such a list, then, pay extra attention when you find yourself in such contexts. Or, do your best to avoid or minimize such situations.

What calms you down?

There are things that calm you down or reduce emotional pressures. It could be music, a walk or a dance. Once you are aware of that, you can then engage in such an activity to cool down when you are emotionally heated up.

What lifts you up?

Besides calming down, you also need to have experiences that excite you. It could be travel or some form of sports. The more you expose yourself to such opportunities, the happier you will feel.

Master people’s body language

Become inquisitive and attentive to people’s body language because it will give you a lot of information in regards to someone’s emotional state. Then, you will know how to respond.

People’s tone of voice

Pay attention to people’s voice tones because this also carries a lot of information. You are able to tell whether someone is excited about what you are saying or not. Whether they are in the mood or not.

Remember emotional intelligence is about mastering your own emotions and those of other people. When you do, generating more happiness is much easier.