Being emotionally intelligent not only helps to define who you are, but it also impacts the things you find enjoyable in life, including hobbies. Emotional intelligence isn’t just fancy speak for being in touch with your feelings. As Mental Health America defines it, “Emotional Intelligence is the ability to manage both your own emotions and understand the emotions of people around you.” Basically, you have the natural ability to put yourself in another person’s shoes and understand how they are feeling. You understand why people think, behave, and react in the ways they do based on what they are going through.
Hobby expert and psychology student Nat recently shared that emotionally intelligent people are generally drawn to specific activities, which makes sense, and if you’re looking to improve your empathy skills, she said these 6 hobbies are a great place to start.
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While reading in general is a great hobby to have, reading fiction is particularly enjoyable for emotionally intelligent people because it’s immersive, imaginative, and filled with character development. From dialogue to angst, each turn of the page offers a glimpse into how people think, act, and feel.
A 2013 study found that people who not only read fiction but also have a strong emotional connection to the story tend to be more empathetic in their daily lives. That’s an important distinction, however. Researchers stressed that people who read fiction without feeling attached to the story and characters tend to be less empathetic.
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An important part of acting is reading and expressing emotions. Much like immersing yourself in a book, actors must immerse themselves in a role, which includes interacting with other characters and conveying those emotions sincerely to the audience. Emotionally intelligent people find this exhilarating and also a natural extension of their personality.
Stepping into a character is empathy in its truest form. You need to understand how emotions are expressed in others through their facial expressions, tone, and body language. Acting also refreshes your mind, helping you grow more empathetic while at the same time building your confidence.
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This one goes without saying, but when you volunteer, you identify a cause that is important to you, and you understand why your time and energy are valuable to those who benefit from it. Emotionally intelligent people don’t see volunteering as a chore; helping for the greater good makes them feel whole. It’s as simple as that.
Abbeny Harvey, a medical school student, explained how volunteering helped shape her character: “One of the ways in which volunteering has shaped my character is by teaching me the value of compassion and empathy.” She explained that through volunteering, she came into contact with individuals facing many different struggles, which helped her develop a deeper understanding of others. Ultimately, it solidified her decision to go into the medical field.
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If you’ve ever played soccer, pickleball, or any other team sport, you know how integral working together is to morale and success. Sure, it’s exhilarating to win, but for emotionally intelligent individuals, cheering their teammates on and contributing to the group dynamic is where the real fun lies.
Psychologist Bradley Busch took it a step further. He explained, “Athletes who are emotionally intelligent can usually identify the emotions of others through their non-verbal behaviours. This could be through analysis of facial expressions, body language, eye contact, and even posture. When performing, it is important to recognise which emotions are influencing your performance and if this effect is positive or negative. Gaining knowledge of this will help you switch to your best emotional state when competing and enhance your performance.”
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Journaling is all about identifying how you’re feeling and using your creativity to express it in the written word. It’s not only a cathartic exercise meant to help work through difficult emotions; for the emotionally intelligent, it’s simply fun.
Jeremy Sutton, Ph.D., explained that “journaling can help us accept rather than judge our mental experiences, resulting in fewer negative emotions in response to stressors.” Professional coach Jackee Holder added that journaling “provide[s] a safe, self-directed space to express and unravel emotions and help determine when and how to express emotions beyond journaling and reflective writing.”
Simply stated, journaling allows you to work out your feelings before acting on them. For people who are already emotionally intelligent, it hones their skills.
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Reading books, watching lectures, or even browsing short articles about psychology can help you dive into the complexities of emotional intelligence. By exploring how emotions and people interact, you gain a broader and deeper understanding of how to communicate effectively. By building your interpersonal skills, you can identify how to improve all your relationships, whether personal or professional.
Emotionally intelligent hobbies often tend toward immersive experiences, even if you are simply entering a fantasy world in a new novel or immersing yourself in the complexities of your own emotions. Engaging in these activities can strengthen your already enhanced empathy, and for those who are looking to gain more insight, can teach you why it’s so important to get a better understanding of emotions and how they impact everyone and everything around us.
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Matt Machado is a writer studying journalism at the University of Central Florida. He covers relationships, psychology, celebrities, pop culture, and human interest topics.
