I write about emotional intelligence (EQ) because I believe you need it for a healthier, happier, more resilient life and society.
Hello, welcome to my corner of the online world.
I'm jaxx, a writer who believes the successful balance between our emotional world, brain integration and coping skills (collectively referred to as EQ or emotional intelligence) is fundamental to living a more resilient, healthier, authentic life, making self-empowered, conscious choices.
The uncomfortable truth is emotional intelligence (EQ )is not something we're born with. It's something we develop, given the right circumstances during infancy and our adolescent brain phase (12-25). For those of us who weren't so lucky to be gifted with this magical superpower (I'm one of them), good enough EQ is a practice that can be learned and strengthened.
I learned about it too late. I have no doubt my life would be different had I known about it when I was 16, or didn't have to know about it because I'd cultivated it from my environment. I believe EQ is an antidote to the grossly overused and potential misuse of the 't' word online. My experience of counseling and strengthening my EQ was convoluted, lengthy, and had the potential to do more harm than good.
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I write a journal, poetry, fiction and non-fiction, and talk about EQ on my podcast, Authencial Intellemotionce. It's a podcast where I explore how EQ affects our dating/relating life, our Self, career, finances and from the wider lens of society in general. It has a focus on the adolescent brain development years, crucial, and yet so overlooked, on the journey towards adulthood.
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Thank you for being here.
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A welcome note from Jaxx
I wish I'd had the tools to recognise, and do something about my low EQ much sooner in my life. This is why I believe a 'good enough' EQ is essential to our health and wellbeing, and this is why I write about emotional intelligence.
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Having a low EQ, and not realising it until such a late point in my life (four decades in), is about as nice a feeling as waking up to how much time you've wasted in the wrong situations and making choices that don't serve you. When I discovered that the adolescent brain period is from age 12-24 and is a prime time to wire and rewire, I couldn't help but think that we need to do more to ensure this age group has the opportunity to achieve healthy brain integration.
Without diminishing anyone's pain or reality, I will use my quill to add a wash of nourishing and empowering sunshine coloured ink to a subject area that is often covered in grey clouds.
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Please know that I am not here to give advice. I will signpost and reference quotes, information, advice or sources.
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Please reach out if you have any questions, and subscribe to receive emails about my work.
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To peace and prosperity,
jaxx x
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Meet jaxx
Having a rock bottom EQ had a negative impact on my life. I had low self-esteem, zero self-confidence, unconsciously chose relationships (and 'situationships') with men that weren't healthy, chose a career that didn't align with me, bought a flat out of convenience, viewed my finances from a place of lack, was a chronic over thinker and tortured myself by comparing myself to others.
In 2018 , I took hold of my situation and started counselling. When I was asked, 'why are you here'? My response was simple, 'I've been single for almost ten years and I need to take responsibility for it'. I went for eight session and her parting words to me were, 'go and get on with your life' which was sage advice but I knew I wasn't where I needed to be but I didn't know where to turn next.
This led to four long years of trying to figure it all out by myself - reflection, ruminating, introspection and 'doing the work'. I believe it was far too long and it could have done more harm than good.
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And then I reached the point where I chose to start focusing on my future and creating the life I wanted for myself. Which is a much better place to be.
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