Both Roberto and Keith have a 45-minute commute (通勤) time from their homes to their workplace. When Roberto drives, he has realistic expectations of how others drive and how long the trip should take. Overall, he is able to adapt to any unexpected challenges he may: face on the road.
He rarely becomes angry. By contrast, Keith drives with a tendency for becoming angry easily, partly due to unrealistic expectations of other drivers, his quickness to personalize and feel threatened by the actions of others, and his inability to calm his anger.
The difference between how Roberto and Keith experience their drive to work, especially with regard to getting angry, is influenced very much by their emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence is crucial for helping individuals choose constructive over destructive anger. A key aspect of healthy anger is being able to pause and reflect on, rather than react to our thoughts, feelings, and senses associated with getting angry.
Self-regulation and empathy (同理心) are two important components of emotional intelligence, which can be a buffer (缓冲) against destructive anger. Self-regulation helps us to control our moods. Empathy helps us to recognize the humanity. in others and ourselves.
Studies suggest that training in emotional intelligence can powerfully impact how anger is managed. This was supported by a three-year study of 476 young adults who showed reduced tendency of becoming angry after training. Children and adults can learn skills to boost their emotional intelligence and, by doing so, develop adaptability for dealing with various negative feelings, including anger. Many workbooks offer skills in emotional intelligence to promote empathy and self-awareness regarding emotions and how they impact our beliefs and behavior.
Clearly, through training, Keith would experience greater emotional flexibility that could support a more peaceful commute to work. I firmly believe that learning skills in emotional intelligence should be the focus in helping individuals more constructively manage this highly challenging and complex emotion.
【小题1】What is the main feature of healthy anger?| A．Thinking over the annoying situation. |
| B．Taking action to deal with the awful situation. |
| C．Turning a blind eye to the unwelcome situation. |
| D．Expressing feelings about the disturbing situation. |
| A．Supportive. | B．Doubtful. |
| C．Negative. | D．Tolerant. |
| A．He would shorten his commute time. |
| B．He would stop threatening other drivers. |
| C．He would help others more deliberately. |
| D．He would manage emotions more constructively. |
| A．The Role of Empathy in Commuting Peacefully |
| B．The Influence of Emotional Intelligence on Life |
| C．The Need for Drivers to Enhance Their Intellectual Training |
| D．Emotional Intelligence: A Protection Against Destructive Anger |
