Good news! Although an individuals IQ is not easily improvable, their EQ score can be increased through knowledge transferring and practice. Indeed, in accordance with the previous section, one might become more emotionally intelligent by individually improving each of the above-mentioned skills. 

To become more self aware, one should be able to recognize not only his/her emotions but also the conditions that trigger those emotions – reflections like “what was it that made me so uncomfortable that day?” or “why did I raise my voice on that situation?” can be really helpful. Moreover, to recognize and categorize emotions will also play an important role when making decisions – after the necessity of doing so under pressure, a simple deep breathe can help mastering emotions and relax to assess the viable options, and only then making a decision.

On the other hand, by understanding what are the mechanisms that positively or negatively affect each emotion, one will be able to better read others expressions and even predict some behaviors. This state of awareness can be achieved by paying a higher level of attention when others are communicating (active listening) and will help on identifying small details that might be crucial for appealing to their emotions, making it possible to create a bridge of empathy and ultimately understand what motivates them.