Emotional Intelligence is the mind of the heart, the right-brain in metaphoric terms. Realize that language has its limitations, and speaking in terms of the English language subtleties can be lost - such as having only one word for 'love'. When culture moved away from communicating with images, we also moved away from an appreciation of what the right-brain has to offer us as a human civilization. This is unfortunate, as our feelings are powerful influencers over the quality of our lives.
We lost the language of the heart to a great degree. Symbolism and imagery, specialties of the right brain, allowed us to use our individual imaginations more consciously and to connect more easily with our feelings. When we only live in our left-brain logic, the attempt to circumscribe words into black-or-white meaning, we really lose much of the richness and depth of human relationship and life. We tend to try to live only in our heads. Just think - where would the head be without the body and its heart? They need each other.
Logic and our left-brain are only a part of the equation; we need both hemispheres to attain sustainable joy and happiness. The tendency as a culture - as a human race, in general - to deny and repress our emotion and feeling is one reason why we are so emotionally UN-intelligent. It is the primary reason why so many people still live, as Henry David Thoreau said,
… lives of quiet desperation.
We can change this. We do not have to live life like this. There are many benefits from embracing your right-brain 'heart', including creating a vision for your life that is purposeful and being better able to relate to others. We have the power to 'NeuroReInvent' our self. Now this is innovation! It's innovation on our outdated attitude of belittling personal growth and development as if you must have something wrong with you if you raise your hand that you need more emotional intelligence or self-awareness. Truth is, we all do.
We all have, and will always have, room for more growth and evolution. No one arrives! When are we simply going to wake up and see this? We all have many levels of true potential. Change is endless and our potential to evolve is a part of this. It is the wise person (I humbly proclaim, 'That's me!') who is willing to raise their hand and embrace change and growth. It is so freeing to recognize the truth in the statement that life is a journey, not a destination. It is freeing to realize that we are not 'broken'.
We are on a journey of spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical growth - and it begins within. Stop looking for love and answers in all the wrong places if you want to learn to excel at the Game of Life. Our outer experience is a reflection of our inner perception. Change your perception, change your life.
A good movie on this idea of 'Quiet Desperation' that stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet is "Revolutionary Road." If you want to stop living a life of quiet desperation and experience true joy and happiness, learn the Art and Science of NeuroReInvention®. Bring these two aspects of yourself -- Art (right-brain) and Science (left-brain) -- back together again. A whole brain is the basis for a healthy, whole life. Start to think and feel differently. What are you doing today to retrain your brain?
Valencia Ray, M.D. teaches business owners and corporate leaders how their amazing brain can actually hijack personal power -- not in the abstract, but in the context of integrating business and personal life. Dr. Ray, a board-certified eye surgeon and medical business owner for over 20 years before selling her practice, shares her own life changing process. By sharing her story, she helps others to expand their vision and learn that by living with purpose and confidence, it is possible to have a more integrated, healthier lifestyle – with less struggle, more inner peace and more abundance.
For more information and to contact her regarding dynamic, inspirational keynotes, trainings in collaborative leadership and team building, entrepreneurship and coaching programs, visit her website at http://www.ValenciaRay.com.