Emotional intelligence (or EQ) is a term that has been floating around for decades. You've no doubt heard about it, but why should you care? Learning and practicing emotional intelligence can feel like climbing Mount Everest, difficult—even unattainable. Maybe that's why emotional fitness is still not as popular as physical fitness. After all, how often do you hear someone saying they're working out at an EQ gym every day? ...Never!

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes 

Do you have a hard time setting boundaries in your relationships? Are you constantly putting other people's needs before your own? If this sounds like you, don't worry, you're not alone. It's not just people-pleasers who have a difficult time setting healthy boundaries. Setting boundaries in relationships can be tricky, especially if you’re easy-going, kind, and struggle to say no.

Estimated reading time: 10 minutes

Think about the last time you truly nourished yourself—not just with a good meal or a long weekend nap, but with something that replenished your soul. Maybe it was a calming yoga session, an invigorating hike in nature, a conversation with a trusted friend, or reading a compelling book while sitting by a crackling fire (my all-time favorite). Whatever it was, it probably made you feel lighter, more centered, and at peace. Self-care is the foundation of every healthy person, relationship, family, and successful leader.

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes. Self-care practice: 30 minutes

Radical acceptance is a practice defined and developed by American Psychologist Marsha Linehan, the world-renowned creator of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). Influenced by Buddhism, the practice of radical acceptance advocates the belief that the reality outside of our control must be accepted rather than fought against. It posits that fighting against yourself or your current situation can result in deep, emotional suffering, even greater than the situation that caused it.

Emotional intelligence is my specialty, but it wasn’t always. As a young adult, I was angry all the time. Every day I had frequent meltdowns—yes, way too emotional with no ability to regulate my emotions. I felt continually jerked around by life’s challenges and other people’s expectations of me. As a teen, I was severely depressed; even when I was functional, anxiety and a brutal inner critic were my constant companions. 

Learning emotional intelligence was a game-changer for me. It gave me the tools and the encouragement that I needed to heal and create inner peace. It’s why I am so [...]

Dr. Charles Raison said in an interview recently with The Sun magazine: “We’ve replaced a fictitious certainty with an honest confusion.” A statement has never felt truer.

Whatever certainty we may have thought we possessed has since blown away like an empty plastic bag in the wind. These past few years have been unprecedented and challenging, with disruption felt to our core. The pandemic has taught us many lessons, and one shouts louder than most: we affect one another—profoundly. In times like these, emotional fitness, resiliency, empathy, and inner peace are priceless treasures.

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What will make this year one to remember…and treasure?

According to Pew Research Center, consistent polls show that spending time with our loved ones creates the most meaning in our lives. Yet if anger, anxiety, and knee-jerk reactions dominate our emotional experience, they can profoundly detract from our ability to make meaningful connections with others—even those we deeply love.

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

Some people, when designing their home, choose furniture and accessories by asking themselves questions in this order: 1) Is it beautiful?  2) Is it comfortable?  3) Would it help me create a space to improve the quality of my life?

While these questions are all reasonable, we suggest that you ask them in the opposite order. Instead of being caught up in creating a designer home that could grace the cover of Architectural Digest, why not take some time to analyze what type of space you need to live the best life possible?

We have all had others come to us for support. Friends, family, and even colleagues trust each other by the nature of their relationships. Whether the relationship is personal or professional, a part of relationships is developing bonds through a connection that develops trust, closeness, and camaraderie. We lean on people to be there for us for life’s challenges and celebrate our joys and triumphs. What helps to create bonds in relationships is our ability to relate to and genuinely support others in a way that resonates with what they are experiencing.