“There are few catastrophes, in our own lives or in those of nations, that do not ultimately have their origins in emotional ignorance.” So writes Alain de Botton in The School of Life.
“The emotionally intelligent person knows that love is a skill, not a feeling, and will require trust, vulnerability, generosity, humor, sexual understanding, and selective resignation.
“The emotionally intelligent person awards themselves the time to determine what gives their working life meaning and has the confidence and tenacity to try to find an accommodation between their inner priorities and the demands of the world.
“The emotionally intelligent person knows how to hope and be grateful, while remaining steadfast before the essentially tragic structure of existence.
“The emotionally intelligent person knows that they will only ever be mentally healthy in a few areas and at certain moments, but is committed to fathoming their inadequacies and warning others of them in good time, with apology and charm…
“There are few catastrophes, in our own lives or in those of nations, that do not ultimately have their origins in emotional ignorance. “
A great misconception is the existence of perfection. Emotionally intelligent people accept imperfection. They see the inevitable challenges of each day as fresh puzzles to solve, bricks of experience to shore up the fragile foundation of stability.
