Why Emotions Matter More Than You Think with Professor Marc Brackett #179
May 4, 2021
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Join Professor Marc Brackett, the founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, as he dives into the transformative power of emotional literacy. He underscores how our emotions shape creativity, decision-making, and relationships. Discover the RULER approach, a groundbreaking method for understanding and regulating feelings. Marc emphasizes the importance of emotional awareness, especially in parenting, and shares insights on enhancing emotional expression in challenging times. Learn how to foster deeper connections through empathy and understanding!
Emotions impact creativity, learning, and problem-solving abilities.
Recognizing, expressing, and regulating emotions are vital for overall well-being.
Developing emotional intelligence enhances personal and societal well-being.
Deep dives
The Importance of Emotional Literacy
Emotional regulation in adulthood stems from childhood experiences. Professor Mark Brackett from Yale discusses the significance of emotional expression and literacy. He highlights the benefits of emotional intelligence, covering aspects like creativity, learning, problem-solving, physical health, and mental health. Developing emotional skills, as outlined in the RULER approach, can enhance personal and societal well-being.
Understanding the Impact of Emotions on Attention and Decision Making
Emotions affect attention, memory, learning, and decision-making. Professor Brackett's studies show how educators' moods influence grading. Our emotions significantly influence judgments and decisions unconsciously. Additionally, emotional expressions impact relationship quality, where facial expressions and body language play crucial roles.
Emotions and Health
Emotions play a significant role in physical and mental health. Understanding, expressing, and regulating emotions are vital for overall well-being. Emotional intelligence fosters creativity and performance in the workforce. Managing emotions effectively can prevent health-related issues and enhance one's quality of life.
Promoting Emotional Intelligence and Authenticity
Encouraging emotional intelligence benefits individuals and society. Authenticity in expressing and managing emotions fosters empathy. Recognizing and validating various emotions in oneself and others paves the way for emotional intelligence development. Embracing diverse emotional experiences allows for deeper connections and improved well-being.
The Importance of Understanding and Expressing Emotions
It is crucial to wear emotional masks consciously, understanding and acknowledging our true feelings before reacting. By being emotionally aware and regulating our expressions, we can prevent damaging emotional outbursts like the harmful impact of sharing inappropriate information with children. Emotional intelligence, nurtured through an emotion education, allows individuals to manage their feelings effectively and make informed choices on when and how to express emotions.
Strategies for Emotional Regulation and Self-Compassion
Emotion regulation is highlighted as a crucial life skill, requiring diverse strategies beyond simplistic solutions like positive self-talk or mindfulness. Effective regulation involves understanding one's inner narratives, fostering positive connections, and practicing self-compassion. It emphasizes the importance of acknowledging mistakes, apologizing, and embracing forgiveness. The focus on continuous improvement in emotional wellness underscores the complexity of managing diverse emotions and adapting strategies for healthy emotional development.
CAUTION ADVISED: this podcast contains mild swearing and themes of an adult nature.
Today's conversation is all about our emotions and my guest is Professor Marc Brackett, the founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. He's published over 100 research articles over the course of his career, and has dedicated his life to studying and teaching emotional literacy.
But why are our emotions so important? Marc explains the profound benefits of being better able to express and regulate our emotions on multiple aspects of our lives. Our emotions affect our creativity, learning and problem solving, but also our physical health and our mental health. Yet so many of us struggle to express and regulate our emotions. It's not something that is taught in schools or even modelled by much of society. Marc aims to help change this through his work and research. He has developed something called the ‘RULER’ approach to social and emotional learning, which is used in over 2000 schools across the world and is detailed in his brilliant book, Permission to Feel: Unlock the power of emotions to help yourself and your children.
The ‘RULER’ approach sets out the five underlying skills of emotional intelligence and stands for Recognising, Understanding, Labelling, Expressing and Regulating emotions. The RUL, says Marc, is about our experience – whether of our own emotions or someone else’s. The ER is about what we do with the feelings. And I think it’s an invaluable tool for children and adults alike.
Marc explains why he wants us all to become what he calls ‘emotion scientists’, rather than being ‘emotion judges’, and he wants us all to be able to better understand our own and each other's feelings. This episode is packed with personal insights, practical examples and brilliant tips to put his advice into practice in your life and perhaps that of your children. I hope you find it as useful and meaningful as I did.
DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.
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