October is Emotional Intelligence Month

Emotional intelligence refers to the ability to perceive, control, and evaluate emotions. Thanks to Elizabeth Scott over at the About.com's Stress Management site, I've recently learned that the month of October has been designated "Emotional Intelligence Month." To commemorate this event, let's spend a little time exploring the concept of emotional intelligence.

According to emotional intelligence experts Peter Salovey and John D. Mayer, there are a few different factors that comprise emotional intelligence. The first is an ability to accurately perceive emotions, which includes both your own emotions and the emotions of other people. A second factor is an ability to understand these emotions. It may be one thing to identify that someone is experiencing an emotion, but it is also important to understand the possible meanings and causes behind that feeling. Third is the ability to use emotions in reasoning. Research has shown that emotions have a major impact on how we think, including how we prioritize and attend to information. The final factor is the ability to regulate and effectively manage emotions. Salovey and Mayer suggest that seeking out mood-enhancing situations, people and experiences are a few methods that can be used to regulate emotions.

Learn more about emotional intelligence by exploring the following resources:

• What Is Emotional Intelligence?
• Quotations About Emotional Intelligence
• What's Your EQ? - Emotional Intelligence Test