Peter Salovey and John Mayer coined the term emotional intelligence. They described it as the ability to perceive emotions, use them to support your thinking, understand what they mean, and manage them in ways that help you grow. The EQ-i 2.0 puts it more simply. It's a set of emotional and social skills that shape how you see and express yourself, build relationships, handle challenges, and use what you're feeling in a way that actually helps. At its core, EQ is your capacit