I am a big believer in critical thinking because it really has the power to shift our perspectives on challenging situations. So whenever we are facing adversities or struggling to come to terms with life changes or even working through very traumatic experiences, thinking about it critically with emotional intelligence can be very helpful.
What we believe about our circumstances determines how we feel to a large degree, which means when we examine our beliefs with curiosity and compassion, we might come up with alternatives that serve us much better. Therein lies the opportunity to cultivate resilience. Here are a few examples of questions we can ask ourselves when dealing with a difficult situation or problem that we need to solve. Looking at it with these emotionally intelligent questions in mind will assist us in finding feasible solutions that will be in the best interest of everyone involved:
WHO will be directly affected by my choice / action?
WHO will be harmed by my choice / action?
WHO needs to be recognised / acknowledged in this situation?
WHAT is the best / worst case scenario for me and others?
WHAT is another alternative for this situation?
WHAT would be a counter argument to my statement?
WHERE else would my decision / action be a problem?
WHERE are areas for improvement in my behaviour?
WHERE will this decision take me / us?
WHEN will I know I’m doing the right thing?
WHEN should I ask for help with this problem?
WHEN is this acceptable / unacceptable?
WHY has this situation arisen / is this happening?
WHY has this been going on for so long?
WHY do I have to look at this / rethink this situation?
HOW can I work with this ethically & safely?
HOW will this develop if I don’t act now?
HOW can I learn from this?
These are only a few questions to guide you through an emotionally intelligent thought process, but there are several more that could be more relevant to your specific challenge, so get started with these and see the impact it has on your life.