Emotional Intelligence

Emotional Intelligence is our ability to recognise and identify our own emotions and those of others. It's what allows us to communicate about our feelings, relate to others and inform our decisions. On the other hand, IQ is our cognitive intelligence, our ability to process information.

A high EQ can bring a lot of benefits. First it requires work on our self-awareness, which results in knowing better what we are doing, we are feeling and what we don't know about ourselves. This leads to being able to manage our emotions and the way we react to them. Finally, knowing ourselves better leads to understanding others better, allowing us to empathize with them and accept them as they are. It helps us foster healthier relationships.

That being said, it is important to note that EQ by itself is not enough to improve ourselves: we need to know our own values to direct it.