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Emotional Intelligence and Stoicism
Taking Control of Your Emotions in a Relationship
First off, don’t let the force of the impression carry you away. Say to it, “Hold up a bit and let me see who you are and where you are from — let me put you to the test.” — Epictetus, Discourses, 2.18.24
We do love us a bit of Stoic guidance when we’re losing our cool. Whether we’re raging, hurt, jealous or anxious, the ancient philosophy of Stoicism teaches us to stand back, breathe and survey the emotional landscape. Once we’ve engaged our rational mind, we can then act without melting down or screaming blue murder.
In a nutshell, it teaches Emotional Intelligence.
Fast forward to the 21st century, and we have a more concise benefit to Emotional Intelligence which tells us:
Out of control emotions can make smart people stupid — Daniel Goleman, Working With Emotional Intelligence
So that being the case, it’s probably best we get up to speed about what Emotional Intelligence is, and how we can use it to have healthier relationships.
What is Emotional Intelligence?
Emotional Intelligence is sometimes known as EQ (Emotional Quotient), in the same way as we refer to mental Intelligence as IQ (Intelligence…
