What are social-emotional skills?

Often, to define what socio-emotional skills are, the metaphor of aloe vera is used: a resource of which new and wonderful properties are discovered every day. It is healthy, promotes well-being and is available to anyone. In short, it is a broad set of tools that allow us to manage emotions to live in society.

So easy to understand, but so complicated to apply in many cases. We say this for an obvious fact, emotional skills continue to be our eternal pending account. This explains why, From the educational field, the competence of socio-emotional skills is being incorporated as a transversal area in the school curriculum.

We need today’s children to be those adults of tomorrow capable of developing positive relationships, communicating and making assertive decisions, creating nurturing environments in empathy, emotional harmony and understanding. The efforts we make starting in These types of resources will favor our progress as a social group.

Likewise, it is not only children who must be skilled in this area. Every adult has the obligation to improve this psychological tendon that has so much impact on our well-being.

What are social-emotional skills?

If we ask ourselves what social-emotional skills are, we could basically define them as “tools for life.” Thus, in a study carried out by Dr. Joseph Durlak, from the University of Illinois, he highlights that this set of competencies is the result of combining the emotional learning given by the family environment, society or school and one’s own personal development. of the individual in the area of ​​emotions.

Therefore, that combination is needed that is capable of training children, adolescents and adults capable of effectively navigating their daily lives. Because Those who master social-emotional skills perform better at school, at work, and in their relationship life.. Let’s analyze it in detail.

What are the social-emotional skills that we should all develop?

Jones, DE, Greenberg, M. and Crowley, M. (2015) highlight that starting early in socio-emotional competencies not only results in a higher degree of social adaptation. This area goes further, because They also have an impact on physical and mental health.

Let’s find out what those competencies are:

Self-awarenesswhich defines the ability to recognize emotions and their relationship with thoughts and behaviors.Self-management. It’s about the ability to know how to regulate emotions in each situationwithout losing control, knowing how to adjust and adapt our behaviors. social consciencefor its part, defines the ability to take into account the reality of others, to connect with others.The skills to communicate, express, know how to listen and solve problems It is another indisputable pillar. Decision making constitutes another key element of socio-emotional skills.Establish realistic, positive goals capable of enhancing our achievement It is also decisive.Last, but not least, it is also essential to develop the ability to build healthy, positive and happy relationships.

Why are social-emotional skills important?

In research work carried out at the University of Pennsylvania by Dr. Damon Jones, it was shown that those Children trained from the age of 4 in socio-emotional skills presented better performance throughout their academic life. What’s more, these benefits extended into adulthood: better job satisfaction, better relationships, well-being, etc.

The benefits of qualifying ourselves in these skills are multiple:

Enhances perseverance when achieving goals. When we put emotions in our favor, our abilities improve.Friendship, work, family and emotional relationships are more satisfactory.We solve problems more effectively.Coexistence is always better with people who know how to manage their emotions and who also connect with those of others. We mark limits better, self-esteem, self-efficacy and self-control are enhanced.We create more empathetic environments and therefore more human.Aggressiveness rates are reduced.They reduce stress and anxiety. Better socio-emotional skills result, as we have already pointed out, in mental and physical well-being.

How can I improve my socio-emotional skills?

It is common for the area of ​​socio-emotional skills to be directed primarily to the educational field. We know that children and adolescents need to master this area early.

Now…what about adults? Have we perhaps arrived late to this area? The answer is no. It is never too late to improve in this psychological tendon that is emotions.

The keys to getting started or strengthening our socio-emotional skills a little more are to work on the following:

Know yourself. Discover your limitations in this area: are you one of those who loses control? Those who don’t know how to reach agreements, communicate, connect with others? Do you find it difficult to identify your needs and feelings? First define what your shortcomings are in this area and that will be your starting point. As Goleman points out, You have to channel your emotions towards a more productive purpose. Until now this area may have only brought you stress and anxiety. Emotions should be oriented towards your well-being. Therefore, it is essential that you keep them in mind from today. If something bothers you, find the emotion behind it (sadness, anger, frustration…). Name each sensation and give it space, recognize it and understand what it wants to tell you. You always have time to improve your communication, empathy and assertiveness skills.

Finally, keep in mind that we live in society, in social groups and we are obliged to take care of ourselves, understand ourselves, and create more livable, happy and productive environments.

Change is part of each of us. With will and commitment we can create a more empathetic reality, one in which understand that mastering and understanding emotions translates into quality of life.

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