Adopt & Expand the ability to understand, use, and manage your own emotions in positive ways to relieve stress, communicate effectively, empathize with others, overcome challenges and defuse conflict.

According to Daniel Goleman , an American psychologist who helped to popularize emotional intelligence, there are five key elements to it: Self-awareness, Self-regulation, Motivation, Empathy, Social skills.

Emotional intelligence allows you to enhance key areas of your life like home, work, and school. You’ve seen them: The people who appear to be cool as a cucumber on deadline. Those who handle awkward family dinners with grace. The ones that get where you’re coming from, without you having to say a lot. That’s because they may possess a certain skill set in spades — emotional intelligence.