Understand Emotions: The Foundation of Emotional Intelligence

🎧 Episode Description

Did you know we experience up to 500 emotional moments every day?
Most go unnoticed. Some linger. A few shape our thoughts, choices, and relationships.

But how many of those do we really understand?

In this episode of The Power of Emotional Intelligence, we slow down. Not with theory, but with clarity.

We explore what's underneath the surface of our emotions—where that knot in the stomach, the rush in the chest, or the tension behind the eyes comes from.

And more importantly, how to work with it instead of against it.

💡 You’ll learn:
✔️ What emotional intelligence (EQ) really is—and how it's different from IQ

✔️ The science behind emotions: from Darwin to Paul Ekman to today

✔️ The difference between primary emotions and secondary reactions (a game-changer)

✔️ Gross’s model of emotion regulation—and why it works

✔️ Concrete tools like “opposite action,” fact-checking, mindfulness, and physical self-care (PLEASE skills)

✔️ How understanding emotions helps with leadership, decision-making, and everyday calm

Whether you’re a leader, a coach, or someone who wants to better navigate life’s emotional ups and downs—this episode gives you tools you can use today.

✨ Key Takeaways:

✅ Emotions are messages, not problems to suppress

✅ EQ is learnable, not fixed

✅ Understanding emotions begins with noticing, naming, and navigating

✅ Differentiating between primary and secondary emotions helps you respond with intention

✅ Emotional skills lead to better relationships, choices, and workplace success

🔎 Chapter Highlights:

📌 What Is Emotional Intelligence (EQ)?→ Why EQ matters as much as IQ, especially in high-stress environments

📌 Emotions Through History→ From Darwin’s universal expressions to Ekman’s basic emotions and display rules

📌 Primary vs. Secondary Emotions→ Why reacting to a reaction keeps us stuck—and how to go deeper

📌 Gross’s Emotion Regulation Model→ The five levers you can adjust to change how you experience and express emotion

📌 Mindfulness & Embodied Awareness→ How to use your body as a compass to understand and regulate what you feel

📌 Practical EQ Skills→ Opposite Action, Problem Solving, Cope Ahead, PLEASE skills & more

📌 EQ in the Workplace→ Real-world research on EQ’s link to leadership, teamwork, and performance

📚 Further Reading:

⁠Beyond The Hidden Door: Mastering emotions | An interactive emotional intelligence adventure for kids | Help them grow with 5 core skills & chatbot support⁠

📖 Emotional Intelligence – Daniel Goleman
📖 The Emotional Life of Your Brain – Richard Davidson & Sharon Begley

🎙️ Hosted by Marc Monteil, founder of Intemotionnelle.com and Be2Can.com

✅ Subscribe now to The Power of Emotional Intelligence on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music to never miss an episode.

👍 If this episode helped you see emotions in a new light, please share it with a friend, subscribe, give 5 stars, and leave a review/comment—it helps more people connect with their emotional intelligence.

Thank you !

📖 Get tools, downloads, and more at: www.intemotionnelle.com

www.be2can.com