I used to think emotional intelligence
was about being nice.
(I was wrong.)
It’s about being real.
And calm under pressure.
And brave enough to hold two things at once.
You can feel angry
and still control your response.
You can show empathy
and keep healthy boundaries.
You can name your feelings
and still be surprised by them.
You can be confident
and admit you don’t know.
You can stay calm
and still feel stress inside.
You can expect respect
and still lead with it.
You can listen without judgment
and still challenge harmful ideas.
You can share your struggles
and still lift others up.
You can hold people accountable
and still believe in them.
You can trust your gut
and still check the facts.
You can have strong opinions
and still stay open to change.
You can lead with kindness
and still make hard decisions.
The truth is, emotional intelligence lives in the tension.
Not in choosing one side.
But in learning how to hold both.
That’s not weakness.
That’s leadership.
That’s power.
Kenrick Vaz 