May is Mental Health Awareness Month
May 28, 2020
Improving Your Emotional Intelligence
How social distancing offers a rare opportunity to develop these critical skills
Daily life, including getting an education, doesn't look the way it did just a few
months ago. But the closing of campuses and the imposing of stay-at-home orders may
actually give us a chance to learn more about something else. Ourselves.
We tend to think of success in college and later life as a function of scholastic
achievement. Research has shown, though, that there are other factors that can be
more important than raw intelligence. One such set of skills is known collectively
as emotional intelligence. Experts say that emotional intelligence can be nurtured
and strengthened throughout our lives. However, it is often difficult to find time
for self-reflection. Until now.
Introspection, typically thought to be the domain of philosophers and poets, is more
readily available during this period of social distancing. The knowledge gained will
pay dividends in the form of better health, closer relationships, and improved academic
performance.
Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence, the book that first brought the
concept to mainstream culture, describes it as learning to recognize and accurately
label your emotions, and understanding how they make you feel, think and act. An important
first step is becoming more aware of your emotional reactions to stress, perhaps no
more vital than during this worldwide pandemic. Another crucial skill is the ability
to talk about your feelings. This can be done with close friends, family members,
or with a counselor or other mental health professional.
If you would like help increasing your emotional intelligence, contact the Santa Fe
College Counseling Center. We are currently offering our services remotely via video
conference or by phone. To schedule a session, call (352) 395-5508 or e-mail counseling@sfcollege.edu.
To assess your current level of emotional intelligence, take the E.I. Quiz at http://www.theotherkindofsmart.com/ei-quiz
