Noticing and understanding emotions in oneself is considered one of the four key ingredients of emotional intelligence. According to scientists, mindfulness can help one develop emotional intelligence by increasing people’s understanding of their own emotions. Since the practice of mindfulness involves noticing one’s current thoughts and feelings without judgment or interference, one learns to observe different emotional states. In line with this notion, Feldman, Hayes, Kumar, Greeson, and others (2007) found that mindfulness is positively correlated with increased clarity of feelings, increased attention to emotions, and lower distraction. Just as intellectual intelligence is manifested through reading and learning, we can foster emotional intelligence by mindfully attending to current emotional states.
