If you’ve already given up on them, the answer is probably no. Carefully considering the emotions behind your New Year’s Resolutions (and yes, resolving not to make resolutions this year is still a resolution!) is key to making the most of the year ahead, and few of us do it right.

Whether you threw out a half-baked idea the first time someone asked you what changes you were planning on making in 2019 or spent hours online researching the psychology of habit-forming, it’s likely that you didn’t spend enough time considering your resolutions from the standpoint of emotional intelligence.

Emotional intelligence includes the ability to recognize, understand, appropriately express, and regulate your emotions. An emotionally intelligent resolution is one that takes into account your overall emotional landscape — what truly makes you happy?

What can you do to minimize or appropriately vent negative emotions? An emotionally intelligent approach to pursuing happiness is not hedonistic or short-sighted – it considers your overall and long-term happiness. It’s not about staying comfortable or avoiding difficult situations –  if anything, emotionally intelligent people are more likely to take risks or ‘power through’ difficult situations because recognizing a negative emotion is the first step towards moving past it.

Here are the main things to consider when evaluating resolutions from an emotionally intelligent perspective.

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