If you’re looking for a way to improve your emotional intelligence, look no further than Michael Cornwall’s book, Go Suck a Lemon. This insightful read will teach you cognitive skill building techniques that help you change your perspective of the world around you and improve your emotional intelligence.
Who is Dr Michael Cornwall?
Dr. Michael Cornwall is a is an author, lecturer, clinical supervisor, educator and therapist in private practice, specializing in emotional intelligence and rational emotive behaviour (EI / REBT) therapy.
He has written several books on emotional intelligence, including:
- Think Twice: A Learner’s Guide to Improved Emotional Intelligence
- Criticism and Other Opportunities for Improvement
- The Force of Will: Reflections On Emotional Intelligence Theory
What is Emotional Intelligence?
Emotional intelligence (EI) is the capacity to be aware of and manage one’s own emotions and the emotions of others. It’s about being able to understand these feelings and using that information to guide your thinking and behaviour.
There are four main components of emotional intelligence:
- self-awareness.
- self-management
- social awareness
- relationship management.
These four elements of EI work together to help you manage your emotions effectively.
Why is Emotional Intelligence Important?
Emotional intelligence is important because it can help you in many different areas of your life. For example, if you’re able to manage your emotions well, you’ll be less likely to get angry or upset in difficult situations. This can lead to improved work performance, better decision making, and stronger relationships.
In addition, people with high emotional intelligence tend to be more successful in their careers and earn more money. They’re also less likely to experience anxiety or depression.
EI has been shown to be a predictor of success in life. It can help you to manage stress, communicate better, and resolve conflicts.
Go Suck a Lemon will help you improve your Emotional IQ
The book Go Suck a Lemon is all about emotional intelligence and how to improve it.
The book starts off by explaining what emotional intelligence is and why it’s important. It then goes into detail about various cognitive skill building techniques that can help readers improve their emotional intelligence.
One of the things I like about this book is that it doesn’t just focus on the theory of emotional intelligence, but it also provides practical exercises that readers can do to improve their skills. I also appreciate the way that the book is organized into easy-to-read chapters with plenty of helpful examples.
Go Suck a Lemon is based on a simple premise – you are responsible for how you feel!
Now I realise that you are probably wondering what is so earth shattering about that, but for me it was a major revelation. You see, it had never occurred to me that my feelings were in fact the result of my thoughts.
I had always believed that feelings were inevitable. I thought they came into being and I had no control over them. Little did I know!
However after reading the book I understood that whatever happened around me, it was my interpretation of events that created my feelings. If I changed my interpretation, then I could turn a negative into a positive, or failure into lessons learned.
Events and Thoughts and Feelings are Interconnected!
In Go Suck a Lemon, Michael Cornwall gives several examples that help the reader understand the interplay between events, thoughts and feelings.
He also links the thought process to our childhood experiences. A child who was constantly criticized will grow up with a negative inner talk, which will engender negative feelings. A child who had supportive parents, on the other hand, will grow up with a much more compassionate inner monologue, which increases their resilience and their chances of living happier and more fulfilled lives.
However this does not mean that those who, like me, grew up in abusive or overly critical families are stuck with the same thought processes for the rest of their lives. It is never too late to change the way you think.
I highly recommend you read (or listen to) Go Suck a Lemon!
The lessons you will learn can be applied in many different environments and situations. It will help you deal with difficult co-workers, challenging family members, and even the manipulative narcissist who has been making your life difficult.
If you do not have time to read it, get the audiobook and listen to it as you drive to work or when you go for a walk. You will not regret it.
So, in conclusion, if you’re looking for a comprehensive guide to improving your emotional intelligence, this is the book for you. It’s insightful and practical, and will leave you feeling empowered and motivated to make positive changes in your life.
So go ahead and suck a lemon – your life will definitely be sweeter for it!
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Thanks for the book recommendation, Carla. I’ve been studying the Stoics (Aurelius and Seneca) who posit that we’re in control of our reactions, even during sometimes very difficult adversities, and that these outside events are opportunities giving us exercize to sharpen these internal responses. This idea sure flies in the face of the chemical imbalance fallacy which so many of us were subject to ten years ago or more so. God bless you, Carla and have a great weekend ahead. <3
Hi Erica, I cannot explain how empowering it is when you suddenly realize that you have the power to choose to interpret a situation differently, and thus to modify your feelings 🙂 When it first dawned upon me, a few years ago, I was blown away. As you said, we have been brainwashed to believe that we cannot control our emotions … they just are what they are. Well I have learned to reinterpret things, and thus to react in a more controlled manner, and so feel better about my life in general. It takes effort and time, but it is really worth working on 🙂
Sending you a big hug.