Emotional Intelligence for Brides

Emotional IQ for BridesPeople are talking about emotional intelligence everywhere these days, from the bedroom to the boardroom. Simply put, EI refers to a person’s ability to be aware of their emotions and manage them in a healthy and productive way. This is so important for brides, yet it is readily ignored when the demands of planning take center stage. When we don’t acknowledge and honor emotions, they build until we are forced to reckon with them, and by that time it’s not often pretty.

Because getting married is a major life transition, it is natural to experience high levels of emotion. Understanding why this is and how it may show up in your life can relieve stress and help ease you through your personal wedding journey, not to mention raise your EQ.

All Emotion is Valid

The image of the blissful bride may be a sweet, but it is not realistic to expect yourself to be blissed-out 100% of your engagement. First of all, you are human, and humans are not meant to be so emotionally one-dimensional. Secondly, this is a major life change, which is bound to bring up complex feelings, all of which are valid and deserve your attention. Acknowledge the feelings you’re having, and give yourself permission to express them in a personally appropriate way. Have a heart-to-heart with your mom, do some artwork that only you will see, or hire a coach to help you do some emotional processing. Give yourself the gift of enough time and space to fully experience your feelings. Keeping them inside will only wear you down.

Help with Emotional Processing

What we resist persists. But it can be hard to “be with” our own difficult emotions without getting sucked into wallowing. Often the most constructive way to address emotional processing is to have a neutral compassionate person facilitate it for you. So in coaching I act as a non-judgmental sounding board for you to spend some time with your emotions and explore them. I use deep supportive listening, creative visualization, and thoughtful questions to give your emotions a voice and guide you to listen to your heart for healing, inspiration, and resolution.