My 29th anniversary is Sunday. In a few days I will begin my 30th year of marriage! Next week, I will likely start rounding up to 30 years when people ask how long I have been married. To my wife's chagrin, I always round up - it's the optimist in me. In some cases rounding up can be a good habit to develop.
When it comes to emotional intelligence, rounding up is great! Rounding up with emotional intelligence means that you believe the best in what you are seeing in and from a person. You give them the benefit of the doubt.
Today, while out in the 100+ degree Arizona heat, my wife's car broke down. A very kind lady went out of her way to help us and even after we called a tow truck and went into an air conditioned store to await our rescue, she returned to give us some cold beverages she purchased for us at a convenience store she had to drive to. She rounded up!
While the tow truck driver was loading our car, another woman reacted negatively to how close the two truck was to her car. She got out of her car and mumble-yelled some words at my wife. She rounded down!
I almost rounded down too. When I saw the terse look on her face as she spoke to my wife, I approached her. I didn't get there in time to intercept her before she escaped into the air conditioned comfort of her car. I wanted to jump on her a little bit - for jumping on my wife - especially while we were in a situation that wasn't going our way. Condescending people aggravating an already difficult situation highly irritate me. My first inclination was to round down. I was able to simultaneously stop myself from being emotionally unintelligent. Part of me really wanted to give her a foul look as she backed out. Instead I took the high road by placing my body between the tow truck and her car to help guide her out, hoping that "rounding up" might help make her day a little more pleasant. I almost rounded down - which would have made both of our days a little less pleasant.
When it comes to emotional intelligence, rounding up is great! Rounding up with emotional intelligence means that you believe the best in what you are seeing in and from a person. You give them the benefit of the doubt.
- Is "rounding up" your fist response - especially when your situation is not exactly going your way?
- How good are you at altering your first responses toward people and situations - especially when your situation is not exactly going your way?
Today, while out in the 100+ degree Arizona heat, my wife's car broke down. A very kind lady went out of her way to help us and even after we called a tow truck and went into an air conditioned store to await our rescue, she returned to give us some cold beverages she purchased for us at a convenience store she had to drive to. She rounded up!While the tow truck driver was loading our car, another woman reacted negatively to how close the two truck was to her car. She got out of her car and mumble-yelled some words at my wife. She rounded down!
I almost rounded down too. When I saw the terse look on her face as she spoke to my wife, I approached her. I didn't get there in time to intercept her before she escaped into the air conditioned comfort of her car. I wanted to jump on her a little bit - for jumping on my wife - especially while we were in a situation that wasn't going our way. Condescending people aggravating an already difficult situation highly irritate me. My first inclination was to round down. I was able to simultaneously stop myself from being emotionally unintelligent. Part of me really wanted to give her a foul look as she backed out. Instead I took the high road by placing my body between the tow truck and her car to help guide her out, hoping that "rounding up" might help make her day a little more pleasant. I almost rounded down - which would have made both of our days a little less pleasant.- Improve your emotional intelligence. Watch for ways to round up - even when your day is not going the way you planned.
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