There are days when emotions feel like waves — one moment you’re calm, the next you’re overwhelmed. Maybe you’ve snapped at someone without meaning to, or kept quiet when your heart was hurting. We’ve all been there. But what if we could learn to ride those emotional waves instead of being swept away by them? That’s where emotional intelligence comes in the skill of understanding your own feelings and connecting with the emotions of others.

Emotional intelligence begins with self-awareness knowing what you feel and why you feel that way. It’s the ability to pause before reacting, to think before speaking, and to stay calm even when emotions run high. When you understand yourself better, you make wiser choices, handle conflicts more gently, and become more at peace with who you are.

But true emotional intelligence goes beyond the self. It’s about seeing through someone else’s eyes, feeling what they feel, and responding with empathy instead of judgment. When you take time to listen and understand others, you build trust, heal relationships, and create connections that truly last. Sometimes, people don’t need advice, they just need someone who understands.

And as with all things, emotional intelligence deepens with faith. Ask God for wisdom to guide your heart and patience to control your emotions. As it says in Proverbs 16:32, “Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city.” True strength is not in overpowering others, it’s in mastering yourself and choosing love even when it’s hardest to give.