Our daily lives are constantly changing with great intensity because of the times we live in. These times have drastically changed the way people think and brought to the fore one of the most significant human sensations – emotions. And whether we will turn our daily life into a happy and peaceful spent time, or we will look at the intensity and dynamics of the world around us as something painful and difficult – it depends entirely on us, on our perception of the world around us and how we accept everything around us. And namely our emotions are a major factor in this perception. Thanks to the development of psychology as a science, we manage to see deeper into the human soul and mind, to look at what is happening in another way, and last but not least, to preserve ourselves – as we are.
But how do we control our feelings? What is the meaning behind
the words “self-awareness” and “self-discipline”? What does empathy mean? The answers to these and many other questions lie in a particularly important aspect of psychology, which is of immediate benefits for our health, relationships, and work – emotional intelligence.
Speaking on this topic, we undoubtedly rely on the research of one of the great world-famous psychologists of modern times – Daniel Golman. Goleman is a prominent journalist, psychologist, and writer. He is born on March 7th, 1946, in Stockton, California. Daniel studied at the University of California, Harvard, and then in India. During that time, he became interested in topics such as self-delusion, creativity, social and emotional learning, and environmental crisis. He also focused on a large number of spiritual practices and teachings.
With this article, we will pay special attention to Goleman’s bestseller according to New York Times Emotional Intelligence. The book has been translated into 40 languages. The book itself is a scientific discovery in the field of emotions, which reveals various “phenomena” in our world and the world around us. And why is emotional intelligence so vital? The answer is simple. This is our ability to recognize and name our emotions and those of others. If we want to be satisfied with our lives, it is undoubtedly significant to have it. Emotional intelligence is a quality that develops.
Going through its first pages, Goleman takes us on a journey that is aimed at realizing what it means to bring intelligence to emotions and how to do it. The practical application of knowledge in the field of feelings has a direct impact on the quality of our own lives. This journey into the world of emotions is divided into 5 main parts.
The first part of this journey will introduce us to modern discoveries about the emotional architecture of the brain. Here we will find an explanation for those moments when our feelings completely erase our rational thinking. We will discover the interaction of brain structures that control moments of anger, fear, joy, and passion, as well as answer the question of what we can do to control the most destructive emotional impulses for us and others.
In the second part, we will encounter the neurological facts of our basic viability. How to control emotional impulses, to rely on the deepest feelings, both ours and others, and how to successfully manage our
relationships. This is the part that puts emotions at the center of our vitality, or knowing why and how much, when, for whom, and how to be angry.
The third part reveals the main differences in the application of these abilities, how they affect our most valuable relationships and success at work, and how toxic emotions put our physical health at risk.
The penultimate part will give us an idea of how genetically engineered emotional patterns and emotional lessons learned at home and at school form emotional brain circuits that make us more skilled or incompetent.
The last part of this journey will reveal the danger of the emotional universe when it is not controlled. How low emotional intelligence leads to depression, risk of many diseases, and addictions.
When we hold in our hands such a guide to high emotional intelligence, we also hold the key to success. A key that will reveal new worlds, improve our personal qualities, and help us to cope with the development of the world. Because emotional intelligence is what makes us realize why we are experiencing an emotion and what to do with it. Only a conscious person can overcome the negative emotions and problems around him.