Being successful by getting along with others?The relationships we have with the people we interact with can determine our optimal development in different areas of our lives. In other words, the way we speak, listen, understand, care for others, set boundaries, and coexist with people helps us to be successful.In positive psychology—which provides us with the tools needed to be happy—it is stated that one of the five key elements to achieve happiness is having positive relationships with others. This means knowing who is there for you when adversity arises, who you can call in the middle of the night to help you resolve a situation, with whom you share quality time, with whom you live meaningful experiences, and whom you feel grateful for today because of something recent in your life.How can I get along well with others?There are no set formulas for this. What we can share is that the way you relate to others has a lot to do with how you understand, use, and manage your emotions. Let’s talk about that—emotions, and how they can interfere with or support healthy and beneficial relationships with others. This is what we call emotional intelligence. It has been widely discussed, but it is a relatively recent topic that new generations are beginning to pay closer attention to and be more aware of.We can understand emotional intelligence as follows:Knowing what I feel. When an emotion arises, you cannot stop it. What matters is allowing it to happen, recognizing where you feel it, and giving it a name: anger, sadness, joy, surprise, frustration, pride, fear, anxiety, etc.Understanding what I feel. Once you know which emotion it is, the next step is to decipher the message it brings. What is it trying to tell you? Why is it there? What does it want you to know?Managing what I feel. Think about whether you have felt this emotion before, whether you recognize it in another situation, and remember how you were able to channel it in a way that benefited you or transform it into something positive for yourself and those around you.Understanding others. This is the key to emotional intelligence. Once you are able to name, understand, and transform your own emotions, you will be better able to understand when others are feeling something similar to what you have already experienced. This is also known as empathy.The way we make these steps part of our daily lives develops as we grow. Your children are currently at a stage in their lives where emotions change frequently and, therefore, so do their attitudes. This happens because the ability to control how we react to what we feel can be difficult to master especially when the frontal part of the brain, which is responsible for decision-making and self-control, is still developing.We can all work to develop emotional skills at any stage of life. There are universal emotions pleasant and unpleasant and all of them are valid. It is important that when your children share an emotion with you, or when you are able to recognize what they are feeling, you validate their emotions. This helps build trust between you.At our schools, we work to help students strengthen their critical thinking, autonomy, and emotional intelligence. Our goal is to foster empathy and care for themselves and others. We also encourage students to take active roles with their peers through Student Councils, Committees, and other activities that help them build stronger relationships with others.
