Day 1

Emotional Intelligence is the ability to name your emotions and manage them effectively, which ultimately allows you to handle personal relationships smoothly and empathetically. Remember, your emotions don’t have to control you, no matter how intense they may be. A feeling is like a wave, and that’s all it is. It will pass, and then another one will come.

When we control our emotions and boost our empathy skills, the results are effective communication, more self-confidence, better decision-making, and overall success in life. It’s a calm approach to relationships that results in a sense of God’s harmony, which He intended all of us to share.

The #1 characteristic of a successful person is emotional intelligence, which requires that your emotions WAIT for your rational thoughts. These rational thoughts need to be ruled by the Word of God. This requires perspective, kindness, and compassion. That may sound simple, but as you know, when we’re emotionally upset, those traits seem to be in short supply.

Think of it this way: your emotions are like children who can get a little crazy, wild, and reactive. Little kids throw tantrums when emotions run high, but adults don’t have to. Emotional self-regulation—self-control—is a large component of emotional intelligence. This is the ability to manage your experience and expression of emotions.

With practice, children improve their capacity for emotional self-regulation. And so can we—by taming, naming, and framing our emotions. We will dive more into what each one of these steps looks like over the next few days.