Recognizing emotional abuse can be tricky. It’s likely the abuser has gone to great lengths to make you feel as if everything is your fault. Then the abuser goes to work on your self-worth and mental health with manipulation and control tactics until your perception of reality matches theirs. It’s a dangerous trap.

If you’re being abused you might even desperately want to leave the relationship, but because your confidence and self-esteem has been so brutally attacked, you see no way out. The abuser has you believing there’s just no way you can make it without them. It’s a sick cycle of bullying and emotional beat-down and it’s got to stop!

Determining Normal Behavior from Abusive Behavior

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Move over IQ, there’s a new kid in town! EQ, emotional intelligence, isn’t actually a new concept but it’s steadily gaining popularity, especially in the workplace.

Limiting the importance of emotional intelligence to just the workplace isn’t really fair, though. Higher emotional intelligence can affect and improve virtually every aspect of our lives.

After a heated debate with someone, have you ever thought, “Well crud, I should have said _____”? But the debate was so intense; you were emotionally charged and not thinking straight. Most of what you said came out in an accusatory tone or on the defense, so nothing was really solved. It happens. Especially when emotional intelligence isn’t in the playbook. Continue reading →