Emotions are a cumulation of energy that flows at all times inside of us. They are complex psychological and physiological responses that we all experience in response to various stimuli or situations. We have an emotional side and a rational side inside our brain and emotions are one of the places from which we start the actions in our lives, and they influence our whole activity. Emotional Intelligence plays an essential role in personal and professional development and emotional intelligence gives us the ability to recognize, understand, attend to, and express emotions effectively. It involves being aware of and sensitive to one’s own emotions, as well as being able to empathize with and understand the emotions of others. By learning how to do so we enrich a great part of our lives as we also address our relationships, a key factor for our well-being.
As people mature and engage in different learning experiences, emotional intelligence greatly impacts the ability to succeed and effectively absorb information. Some essential considerations towards cultivating emotional intelligence in adult learners consist of self-awareness. This is an essential tool for developing emotional intelligence. Self-awareness brings the felt experience of having the mind in the body and cultivating experience on one’s own ways of being, one’s own way of responding to their own emotions. Through self-awareness, one can develop a deep understanding of their emotional responses, strengths, and triggers and this helps in recognizing and regulating emotional responses with great effectivity. The practice of self-awareness can look in different forms such as journaling, self-reflection exercises, mindfulness practices, improvisational therapy, etc.
A big part of the cultivation of emotional intelligence is self-regulation which includes the capacity to hold emotional responses and to come back to an open and balanced state of being. This means bringing into awareness the actual state of being and finding the right tools and practices to come back to a regulated state, to a place where you can feel your center again, where you are balanced and receptive. In that state, learning happens with much more ease, and the availability to learn increases.
By providing care for our emotional state the intelligence of it rises organically as this brings experience in one’s own inner world and responses with the outside and this ultimately brings empathy and connecting skills. Allows us to have awareness in relationships and brings a state of openness to our system. It is good to know that the cultivation of emotional intelligence is a lifelong journey as each new experience informs us of something that we haven’t faced before. And this is precisely the process of learning also, to absorb new information means creating new pathways in one’s brain and the brain has also an emotional side. So, absorption of information will come with much more clarity and efficiency once we develop an awareness of our emotional state. By integrating emotional intelligence into the learning experience, adult learners can enhance their personal growth, relationships, and overall success in various areas of life.
It’s important to note that emotional intelligence is not fixed and can be developed and improved over time through self-reflection, practice, and learning. Various techniques and approaches, such as mindfulness, active listening, and emotional regulation exercises, can help enhance emotional intelligence.