The Queen of Hearts: The Confessions of An ‘Accidental’ Leader

I didn’t purpose to be in the space that I find myself in.  God plucked me from the path that I had set out for myself & set me on an alternative journey. At the start it all appeared somewhat ‘accidental’ but I know now that it was no accident, rather His design, His purpose for my life… 

So now that I am here, these are my confessions…the lessons I am learning about being a woman in business, building an empire, one brick at a time… 

Against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic, we are all trying doing more with less, juggling multiple balls and manage the heightened volatility & increased uncertainty.  

It is within & possibly because of this context that there is a growing burden of mental illness globally; 

• One-in-four (1:4) persons likely to experience a mental health problem at some point in their lifetime. Mental, neurological and substance use disorders accounted for 13% of the total global burden of disease. 
• Approximately 264 million people suffer from depression, one of the leading causes of disability, with many of these people also suffering from symptoms of anxiety. 

• A recent WHO-led study estimates that depression and anxiety disorders cost the global economy US$ 1 trillion each year in lost productivity 

These statistics point to the need to make deliberate efforts to support initiatives geared towards mental well-being.  

How can Emotional Intelligence help?

Research shows that emotion regulation is the most important dimension of emotional competence that impinges on mental health. 

“Emotional regulation refers to the process by which individuals influence which emotions they have, when they have them, and how they experience and express their feelings. Emotional regulation can be automatic or controlled, conscious or unconscious, and may have effects at one or more points in the emotion producing process.” 
~ Gross et al. 1998 

The Six Seconds Model of Emotional Intelligence positions EQ as a way to be – more aware (knowing what you do), more intentional (doing what you mean to do), and more purposeful (doing it for a reason). In this sense, emotions are a strategic resource – one that helps us to navigate life successfully. 

‘By learning to transform emotions as a strategic resource, we can become more aware, balanced and purposeful. Instead of thinking of emotions as something bad that we have to suppress, we can begin to treat all of our emotions, even challenging ones like anger, as invaluable data helping us to be our best selves. We can turn something often seen as an adversary and make it into an ally’ 
Six Seconds 

Remember, emotions are DATA.  When we tune in & use the insight gained, we can make more informed decisions. Learning to be “smarter with feelings” is valuable for all of us, as we grapple with the stress & anxiety we are currently facing. When we tap into our emotions & leverage EQ, we can better understand all that we are feeling, and it can help us to make changes in our lives to take care of what’s most important. 

Stay Safe. With Love, 

The Queen Of Hearts 
Mucha Mlingo
| Six Seconds EQ Practitioner | Master Trainer & Facilitator | 
| Award Winning International Keynote Speaker |