Anger is one emotion almost anyone can identify with. Anger can be both a blessing and a curse. Those who get out of control with their anger are often described as having low emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence (EQ) is the skill of being able to understand and regulate our emotions as well as sense and understand the emotions of others.
People with high degrees of emotional intelligence tend to be better leaders, do better at work and school and have more quality interpersonal relationships. Those who lack empathy tend to have all sorts of problems. Problems might include low levels of intimacy, a history of failed relationships (including friendships), and lack of compassion for others feelings, wants or needs.
Skills in emotional intelligence are important because we are able to use empathy to connect better with others. EQ as a skill helps us to see things from another persons emotional viewpoint as well as their intellectual one. When we feel "felt" by another, we tend to not get as upset or angry. Empathy helps aid in reducing our anger response and relating to the person we are engaged with.
Common problems with having empathy toward others are often caused by using filters. Filters are what is used when we listen but have an answer already running in our own mind. Filters also cause us to hear things differently than what is being said. When we learn how to suspect our filters, we tend to show more empathy toward other people.
Empathy can be learned by first understanding it, then practicing it. It takes time to become more empathetic, but anyone can learn how to do this. As ones' empathy goes up, the feeling of anger and frustration will go down. All skills learned in
anger management course or
online anger management class.