Emotional Intelligence

Research suggests that approximately one-third of the world has an innate capacity for emotional intelligence – defined as the ability to recognise an emotion as you are experiencing it, a concept often referred to as "mindfulness." The remaining two-thirds, despite being emotional beings as well, tend to overlook what they feel and think. This happens because whatever we focus on grows, but if you ignore your perception, you weaken an essential resource. Ultimately, this affects the way people live and relate to others, reinforcing the saying: "My generation goes to therapy because yours didn’t."

We have a deeply ingrained bias in how we deal with negative thoughts, instinctively clinging to negativity as it is. This often leads to the impression that life is hopeless.

Without pausing to acknowledge negative thoughts, the electrical impulses in the brain associated with them are converted into neuroamines, which directly affect the limbic system – the brain’s emotional centre – and take control of its activity. For instance, imagining yourself as incapable increases sympathetic nervous system activity, triggering surges of noradrenaline (linked to the fight-or-flight response) and cortisol (the stress hormone).

However, by simply taking a moment to pause, identifying that negative emotion, and acknowledging its presence, you reduce its intensity. Furthermore, taking a few deep breaths during this pause provides the oxygen your brain needs to better engage the executive function area.

Excessive negativity creates hypersensitive individuals. Unfortunately, these people’s internal radar for emotional stimuli is often not naturally well understood. Both therapy and acupuncture can help in making sense of this radar, offering greater benefits to those with heightened emotional sensitivity.