Developing Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence is the ability to notice what you feel, understand why, and choose what to do next. It is a skill — which means it can be practised.

Start with naming

When a strong feeling arrives, pause and name it as precisely as you can. “Frustrated” and “disappointed” call for different responses. Naming creates a small gap between feeling and action.

Look for the pattern

Keep a short note for a week: what happened, what you felt, what you did. Patterns appear quickly, and patterns are where change begins.

Practise the pause

Three slow breaths before replying to a difficult message is a simple, powerful habit. Over time, the pause becomes automatic.