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We use the words emotions and feelings as if they mean the same thing. Most of the time that’s fine, but when we’re trying to understand what’s actually happening inside us, the difference starts to matter. Emotions are the signals within how we feel, and naming them more accurately changes the quality of the information…
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We’re responsible for our own feelings and behaviour, but that doesn’t mean we stop caring about how we affect each other. Emotional responsibility helps us hold cleaner boundaries, raise what matters with care, and let go of what we choose not to voice, rather than storing it as resentment.
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One of the more confusing things about boundaries is that doing the right thing doesn’t always feel good afterwards. It can bring mixed feelings. Sometimes a boundary brings relief, calm, clarity, or a sense of protection. Yet it can also leave us feeling heavy, unsettled, guilty, or unexpectedly sad. That can be hard to make…
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Sadness is something we all experience, but when it’s present it can feel hard to move through. It’s one of the most impactful feelings as it can stop you in your tracks, which not only feels difficult in the moment, but it can have a knock on impact on your relationships, health and work. At…
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What is emotional contagion? Emotional contagion is the tendency for emotions to spread between people. Without realising it, we often absorb the emotional tone of the environments we enter. A tense meeting can leave you feeling tight and guarded. A relaxed conversation with friends can lift your mood before you’ve even noticed why. This happens…
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Guilt is a feeling of responsibility or remorse for an action you’ve taken, a decision you’ve made, or inaction that conflicts with your moral standards or simply goes against what you think you should have done. Guilt isn’t limited to moral failings; it can arise in everyday decisions Sometimes, guilt stems from societal pressures or…
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What is emotional independence? Emotional independence is a skill within emotional intelligence (EQ). It’s the ability to feel emotional energy, care about others and remain open to connection without your emotional state being controlled or overly influenced by the reactions, moods or behaviour of the people around you. It applies not only in close relationships,…
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I used to keep anger in my shadow. Not only did I hide it from others, but I didn’t understand why I needed it. Most of us are taught as a kid to suppress rage. It’s too difficult for our parents to deal with, it’s anti-social an unprofessional. I buy into that if it’s left…
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Sad, angry, happy, scared, ok or not ok – it’s ok. Recognise it. Feel it. Study it. Perhaps the feeling is useful in taking an action, maybe it helps you learn something about yourself, or it could be based on a misunderstanding. Regardless, I’ve seen personally that when I take action it leads to something…
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It happens, even to the most mature. So what can make us lose our composure? It can be one or a combination of physical and mental triggers. Physical Triggers Mental Triggers Holding your composure takes ongoing management, proactive self-care and a regular balancing of your physical and mental state. It’s important that we counter stress…
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Staying emotionally balanced is not about feeling calm all the time. It’s about staying connected to yourself when your emotions rise and fall, whether they come from your own internal world or from the people around you. A lot of emotional imbalance comes from what we absorb without noticing. Other people’s tension, frustration, or urgency…
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It happens to us all. Our head gets full and we need a way to handle it. It can feel like stress, overwhelm, or like you literally have no more brain capacity. It’s one of the reasons we react rather than respond. When our head gets full, the world starts to narrow. Small things feel…
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There are pros and cons to high EQ. The ability to self-regulate by understanding what you’re feeling and manage it well, is a huge strength in both work and life. When that sits alongside empathy and strong motivation, it can make someone especially steady and valuable to be around. They’re more able to keep going…
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Emotional intelligence (EI), often called emotional quotient (EQ), is the ability to recognise, understand and manage your own emotions while also recognising and responding effectively to the emotions of others. It involves emotional awareness, self-regulation, empathy and the ability to navigate relationships constructively. This concept became widely known through the work of psychologist Daniel Goleman,…
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For me, happiness is made up from the following ingredients: relationships with loved ones, personal growth, helping others in their journey, living, exploring and enjoy what the world has to offer. We all get to choose our own recipe, but the ingredients list is the same…