Using Emotional Intelligence to Push Your Comfort Zone

Written by Judy W Bell on February 16, 2010. Posted in Emotional Intelligence

Additional sub-qualities of Emotional Intelligence…

Subtle Changes for Personal Improvement

We have reviewed in past posts the basic components of EQ.  There are five primarily accepted components of Emotional Intelligence, although some models use only four components.  As review they are:

• Self-Awareness
• Self-Regulation
• Motivation
• Empathy  (left out of some models)
• Social Skills

There are additional sub-qualities of EQ.  These are:

• Self- Confidence
• Self-Control   (a smaller component of self-regulation)
• Commitment
• Integrity
• Assertiveness
• Empathy (if not used as a main component)
• Problem-Solving
• Optimism

Emotional intelligence often increases with age.  From childhood through young adulthood, our EQ (or social intelligence) matures; for most people anyway!  As we move into middle age sometimes our EQ stops developing or even slides backward as we fall into patterns of thinking and behavior, also known as RUTS!

There are simple ways to push past these ruts to make you more comfortable with change.  This opens the emotional side of the brain and allows it to be wound “not so tightly”.

Ways to push out of the comfort zone:

• Think creatively.  Take creative risks.  Color “off the page”.
• Allow yourself (and others) to make mistakes.
• Explore new territories.  Drive a new way to work.  Take an “off-beat” vacation.
• Fall, dust yourself off, and get up!
• Find humor, smile often, and laugh out loud!
• Connect emotionally to others.
• Practice empathy if it does not come naturally for you.
• Champion moments of silence.
• Live authentically!

Now… set three things you will do tomorrow to make EQ a reality for you!

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Judy W Bell

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Tags: Comfort Zone, Emotional Intelligence, EQ, Judy W Bell, Social Intelligence, Sub-qualities of EQ