By Enigheni Iwori
To wrap up on this famed month of ‘love’, let’s talk about emotional intelligence.
What is emotional intelligence? It is the ability to accurately perceive, interpret, regulate and respond to emotions, both yours and other people in a way that produces wisdom and not damage. In simpler terms, it is your pause and reflect button. Most people will only use the term to point out flaws in others because they might not quite understand the full import.
Love requires emotional intelligence regardless of the type – be it self-love, familial/friendship or romantic love. Do you claim to love yourself but do not know when you are overwhelmed or claim to love another but make them question their worth? You need to make a deliberate effort to understand yourself in order to love better.
Healthy relationships thrive on accountability, empathy, self-control and honest conversations, not just feelings alone. You might not get excited all the time, have your heart racing or feel on the edge, but you will feel safe because this love will be more real than the noise.
To practice emotional intelligence, start with being self-aware, ensure to love and be kind to yourself, then proceed to being emotionally responsible. This way, love will go beyond what you deeply feel but will now include how you handle this deep feeling and the people involved.
As a side bar, love should be celebrated every day, not reduced to a one-day performance.
See you next week.
*Follow Enigheni on X @SaturdaywithEni.
