We can choose to ignore our feelings, let them overwhelm us, or use them as fuel to face complex challenges head-on.

Low emotional intelligence can mean that people can’t manage even small amounts of stress, are more prone to anxiety and depression, and are more at the mercy of sudden changes to their mood. When we’re in “fight or flight mode”, we are far more prone to binary thinking, meaning that everything is good or bad, black or white, us or them — not exactly what we need the most right now, when we are being called to solve complex problems and work together toward solutions.

The practice of sharing emotions in a circle is nothing new, yet few of us feel as if we can safely express our deepest emotions even to our closest friends. So when I took part in a collective ritual of sharing our grief, fear and anger over what is happening to the planet, I was surprised by the results…

In The Power of Now, Eckhart Tolle explores the way that we spend the majority of our time (mentally) in the past or the future - very rarely on the actual present moment.

He explores questions like “well, if I never think about the future, how will I plan things? Won’t I just become a bum lounging around on my parents’ sofa?” - or something along those lines.

..Yes, of course, we need to be careful not to use mindfulness or the power of Now to encourage people to put up with unacceptable situations. If your house is actually on fire, don’t just sit still and focus on the feeling of the flames burning your skin - you get the f*** out and call the fire brigade…

Right now, we are full of uncertainty – when will all this end? When will things go back to normal? WILL things go back to normal? What if I lose my job? What if I catch the virus?

This is bad news, because our brains love certainty and control - at least, to a certain point. How can we learn to embrace uncertainty when it feels so scary? Why is the current pandemic so stressful for us? And why are we so obsessed with control in the first place? Read on to find out, plus a powerful exercise to help you separate what you can control from what you can’t.

Striving to feel happy all the time is not a realistic (or desirable) goal. In fact, studies show that the active pursuit of happiness can make you unhappy — the more we value happiness, the less happy we feel when in low-stress situations. In other words, the thought “my life is easy and stress-free right now — so why don’t I feel happy?” causes us to feel more disappointment at our own emotions, leading us to feel even worse.

I know you don’t WANT to feel anxious — nobody does. But if you’re beating yourself up for not being OK right now, then please take a deep breath and read on.

Now, more than ever, understanding how your brain and body respond to stress is vital for facing the chaos we find ourselves in. The word “Emotional Intelligence” has been a bit of a buzzword in the world of business ever since Daniel Goleman’s book of the same title burst onto shelves in 1995.

More often than not, it is a skill taught to managers by well-meaning coaches with the promise of making them more successful, likeable, and perhaps boosting sales and reducing their staff turnover. But is Emotional Intelligence, or EQ, more than just a scientific-sounding method of “winning friends and influencing people”? And how can understanding it help us in times of crisis?

What is EQ and why is it so important? Find out your Emotional Intelligence and read more about what I offer.

Why is purpose and meaning so importance for our wellbeing? Are you truly aware of the “why” behind everything you do? Find out how your Noble Goals can be the thing that gets you out of bed in the morning.