 Hey Psych2Goers, welcome back to our channel. Your ongoing support helps us make psychology and mental health more accessible to everyone, so we want to thank you for that. Now, let's continue. Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand, regulate, and healthily express your emotions combined with a high level of empathy. Everyone has differing levels of emotional intelligence based on their individual past experiences. But emotional intelligence can also be built over time through introspection, empathy building exercises, and personal growth. Your emotional intelligence level can often be seen through your actions. These are nine things emotionally intelligent people avoid doing. Number one, you don't suppress your emotions. Emotionally intelligent people know that feeling and displaying emotion is healthy. While there are times when it's necessary to take a step back from your emotions and process them when you feel safe to do so, long-term emotional suppression is unhealthy because it can lead to an increase in stress, mental or emotional breakdowns, emotional repression, or even symptoms of depression. Number two, you don't invalidate other people's emotions. When you are in tune with your emotions, you understand the importance of emotional expression and will acknowledge another person's emotions before trying to console them. For example, you might avoid telling an upset friend to calm down or get over it. You also avoid offering false reassurances like everything will be alright. Instead, you will listen to and try to empathize with your friend, saying things like, I understand that you're upset right now, and asking questions like, how can I help you? Or, what can I do to help you get through this? Emotionally intelligent people respect and know how to simply listen without having a solution. Or, no one to give a hurting friend some space. Number three, you don't give in to peer pressure. Do you feel like you have a strong sense of self? Do you hold true to your values and beliefs? Do you often self-reflect before making a decision? When you have a high level of emotional intelligence, you don't easily give in to peer pressure. Studies suggest that people with higher levels of emotional intelligence are better able to resist peer pressure, especially when it comes to alcohol and drug use in adolescence. Number four, you don't usually overthink things. Do you think that dwelling on the past or future events outside of your control is a waste of time and emotional effort? While most people overthink from time to time, emotionally intelligent people may be better at catching themselves worrying about things beyond their control. Recognizing this pattern of overthinking is the first step towards directing your thoughts away from them. Number five, you don't have an issue with setting personal boundaries. Knowing when to set boundaries is another sign of emotional intelligence. Emotionally intelligent people know their boundaries because they've tested them and know their limits. You don't have a problem saying no to requests that will take up too much of your time without also granting you emotional, physical or financial benefits. You understand the difference between doing genuine favors for others and just being a people pleaser. You generally resist doing things out of a fear of rejection or to make yourself look better. Number six, you don't seek out external validation. Do you recognize your worth and find validation within yourself? While it's important to note that people with past trauma, anxiety, depression or other mental disorders may need external validation in the form of reassurance because they can't trust their own sense of self-worth, typical functioning people with high levels of emotional intelligence know their value and don't try to live up to expectations others set for them. Instead, you keep your own personal goals in sight. Number seven, you don't get frustrated over situations beyond your control. Being able to healthily regulate your emotions is another part of emotional intelligence. You are able to name and sort through the emotions as they happen. This helps you get through situations that range from mildly irritating to extremely frustrating. For example, high emotional intelligence may give you an edge when working through emotions like anger, which helps you control impulsive feelings and behaviors. Emotionally intelligent people also avoid blaming others for honest mistakes or events over which they had little control. Number eight, you don't avoid constructive criticism. Part of emotional intelligence is self-reflection and part of self-reflection is acknowledging your flaws. Because of this, you don't get defensive when someone offers you constructive criticism. Instead, you defer to those who have more experience and keep an open mind when receiving feedback. Emotionally intelligent people often have higher levels of empathy for their haters and are more likely to forgive them. That doesn't mean you're unaffected by hateful comments or harsh judgment, but you're more likely to actively process your emotions, explore your options and move on from the incident. And number nine, you don't avoid change. Wild change can be scary and uncomfortable. When you're emotionally intelligent, you recognize that change is a necessary part of growth. You take responsibility for your actions and embrace life's changes. Emotionally intelligent people know they can change their career, lifestyle, location and interpersonal relationships while maintaining a sense of identity and purpose. More importantly, you acknowledge that those seeking motivation and support from others is valuable. You are ultimately the only one who can create lasting change in your habits. Do you recognize any of these signs of emotional intelligence within yourself? Or do you think you need to build up your emotional intelligence? We all make mistakes, but how you react to them slowly builds or tears down our emotional intelligence levels. If you found this video helpful, don't forget to like and share this video with someone else too. The studies and references used are listed in the description below. Don't forget to hit the subscribe button for more Psych2Go videos. And thank you for watching. We'll see you next time.