If you just got diagnosed with vitiligo, you won’t always have the best coping skills to deal with it emotionally. Who can blame you? Emotional Intelligence (EI) is something not all of us are good at. But this doesn’t mean it can’t be fostered.
Integrating EI can have powerful advantages in life post vitiligo. Read on as we explain how you can foster emotional intelligence and what all benefits you can reap from practicing it.
Start with yourself
Since EI is all about being comfortable with the uncomfortable, being familiar with it will help you uncover the best coping strategies to deal with vitiligo. Realizing “nobody is perfect” is part of self-actualization.
A vitiligo fighter who understands him/herself will be better positioned to handle strange stares, annoying questions, insulting remarks – something (like it or not) will be bound to happen. To be self-aware, acknowledge what you are feeling in the moment, rather than being emotionally defensive or embarrassed about your feelings.
Train your thoughts
You need to roll up your sleeves and conduct an evaluation of your emotional intelligence. There are many EI tests available online. Use any of them to know your EI score. You may react negatively to the evaluation emotionally; you just got to be more careful here.
If you fall short, encourage emotional development with expert help. This expert help can come in the form of a certification in EI or training with an EI Coaches.
Know your emotional cues
Sociability right after vitiligo diagnosis isn’t always innate; it may require some exercise. Your very own emotional cues can be incredibly subtle and picking up on them may take real practice. Sometimes, emotional outrage comes from misunderstanding your emotional state. Take your time to know when and why are you feeling sad/hopeless.
Invest in emotionally intelligent books
Your reading habits need to reflect some emotional intelligence as well. It is true that you can’t master the art of EI in a day but reading a book like Primal Leadership: Unleashing the Power of Emotional Intelligence can help you brush up this communication technique that some experts suggest is more important than IQ.
