Emotional Intelligence by Gill Hasson (a book I met on the road)

Miles  away from home, and yet on another very random travel adventure I met "Emotional Intelligence". Emotional Intelligence, at the time, was being read by my roommate. It was our companion just laying there on the night stand since the very first day of our trip. 

Personally, I'm someone who is attracted by self-help books. They are either very helpful or very triggering and infuriating and honestly who wouldn't sign up for a book that points out all the bullshit they do? 

"Our emotions are built up of three aspects physical, behavioral, and cognitive" 

The first  chapter of the book said.

Fast forward a few days later I get back home and my very own package is there with the book inside it and so the journey begins. 

Emotional Intelligence is a book that offers very simple approaches to emotions, while keeping in mind their complexity. The book tells you the different aspects of emotions, how they affect you, and others. More importantly how you could manage them.

It simply makes reflecting on some complex situations, not so complex.

If we take Gill Hasson's approach to emotions everything becomes simple. For example, my mom yelling at me at 3 in the afternoon after a full day at uni about forgetting to wash my hands is something that madly sets me off. she makes me angry. Though if we apply Gil Hasson's approach to the situation, mom is just someone who is scared for her daughter from the diseases this might cause, and the yelling is one of my triggers that I gradually can control by simply choosing not to think deeply of, or take action towards. She doesn't make me angry, I choose to react angerly to the situation. 

Gil Hasson simply directs you to take account for your own emotions. No one makes you feel things you do, hence you control every aspect that follows these emotions, from taking time to calm down from anger, or taking notice of anxiety physical signals you could simply choose how to manage your own emotions. To me this point was a life changer I never really thought my emotions were one of my belongings that I can actually deal with, handle, and manage.

Another aspect that gave the book so much strength is how it introduces empathy as a part of controlling your own emotions. Hasson hasn't really said the cliché "empathy helps you connect to others, and makes them love you", which is the approach of every self help book I read had, rather she said that empathy is the key to controlling your own emotions because it helps you resonate with the person infront of you and the situation you are in, helping you recall your logic rather than purely your emotions that may react in a way that's uncalled for. 

As a person with a very short attention span the writing style of a book literally determines whether I will keep reading it or if it goes onto the bookshelf and eventually to the trash can. The writing style of Emotional Intelligence is simple and to the point. Every point is broken down,  explained (with a bit of repetition to help you recall points from previous chapter which I enjoyed and made the points stated more memorable), and then summed up at the end of each chapter. Again,  no unnecessary stories, no irrelevant information or incidents. 

The book is by far one of my favorite self help books. It is realistic and all of its suggestions are doable, and applicable in real life. Gill Hasson doesn't live in a world that is unrealistic with humans who have immaculate self discipline. Gill Hasson recognizes how complex emotions are, and how most of us struggle with self discipline and presents us with actual real life solutions. 

My rate: 8.5/10