An emotionally intelligent spouse understands their own emotions while also being able to empathize and understand their spouse's perspective.
Talking Points:
- Self-awareness – Recognizing your own emotions.
- Self-regulation – Managing your emotions.
- Motivation – Directing emotions toward a goal.
- Empathy – Recognizing emotions in others.
- Social Skill – Managing the emotions in others.
Discussion:
- Initial reactions to this topic? What jumped out at you?
- How good are you at expressing how you feel, especially in times of conflict? What proves to be most challenging for you?
- How well does your spouse do at expressing their feelings to you? What could they do better?
- Share a time your words really hurt your spouse. Why is self-regulation a must for healthy communication?
- What should the motivation be when you enter a conflict with your spouse? What are some bad motives to avoid?
- How can you show more empathy for your spouse’s feelings and perspective?
- What reactions have you had in the past to your spouse’s emotions that only made things worse? What are some positive ways you can respond to your spouse’s heightened emotions?
- Is there a step you need to take based on today’s topic?
