Mastering one’s emotions is truly an artistic endeavor. Numerous capable leaders have faced setbacks due to their emotional responses, which has propelled the importance of emotional intelligence into the current limelight. This may become a transformative factor in critical moments. As the esteemed leadership author, John.C. Maxwell, notably stated, “Effective leaders understand when to express emotions and when to hold back.”Applied Emotional Mastery founder, Jennifer Day, acts as an emotional coach, consultant, and trainer devoted to assisting business leaders and parents in enhancing their emotional intelligence and demonstrating control over their feelings in both their private and professional spheres.
Jennifer never anticipated her journey from a professional dancer to a dance instructor would lead her to the role of an emotional coach. However, those stages in her life have significantly contributed to her current expertise in fostering emotional resilience.
Jennifer began her career teaching classical ballet before branching into jazz and other modern dance styles. This period coincided with the rise of Michael Jackson and the popularity of his moonwalk. The emergence of music videos also heightened the demand for dance lessons during this time. Additionally, Jennifer spent time living in both Trinidad and Norway during her career.
Her personal journey toward inner healing and emotional regulation was ignited by a significant life event—the end of her marriage—which led her to lose all she had achieved, save for her 10-year-old daughter. This personal turmoil drove her to delve into psychology and explore methods such as meditation. While teaching dance, she employed visualization techniques to assist her students in mastering complex movements. When she turned to meditation to combat her stress, she discovered that visualizing her inner potential and strength was equally effective in mastering her own emotions.
After relocating to the UK post-divorce, Jennifer pursued studies in counseling and meditation. She found that the realm of psychology was overly theoretical and lacked practical tools for handling stress and emotional challenges. Her quest for actionable solutions became her new focus. During the late 1990s, when these concepts were not widely accepted in the UK, she traveled extensively to study numerous techniques, particularly those supported by scientific research, for a duration of nine years. Eventually, she established herself in Hawaii, USA, where she worked within private schools, partnering with them to create programs aimed at assisting children facing emotional difficulties through methods including visualization. The success of her approaches led parents to request written guides for managing emotional issues with their children, prompting Jennifer to pen her debut book, ‘Creative Visualization with Children.’ This publication has been translated into ten languages and remains available today, offering parents practical strategies for utilizing creative visualization to address emotional challenges faced by kids.
As she engaged with children, Jennifer noticed that many emotional struggles were often linked to circumstances at home. This led her to develop programs that involved both children and their parents. Some parents, particularly those in entrepreneurial and executive roles, recognized the potential for applying her techniques within a corporate setting and invited her to facilitate training sessions for their organizations.
Jennifer Day, an Emotional Intelligence Coach for Executives and Parents, asserts, “We lose control over our emotions when the mind-body connection is disrupted. Through extensive research on meditation techniques and studies in neuroscience and psychology, I have identified various strategies that can empower individuals to gain control over their emotions, enabling them to make informed decisions, collaborate effectively, and communicate without succumbing to anger or undue anxiety. In professional environments, emotional mismanagement can have far-reaching consequences, impacting both company performance and employee morale. This is where my role as an emotional coach can make a significant difference through straightforward techniques.”
The methods Jennifer employs include posture adjustment, breath regulation, creative visualization, and journal writing exercises, all aimed at enhancing self-awareness. For instance, prolonged sitting can hinder proper breathing, causing individuals to unknowingly engage in shallow breathing for extended periods, signaling stress to the brain. The remedy lies in taking a break to breathe deeply. Modern science acknowledges this, leading many companies to offer standing desk alternatives. Breathing exercises facilitate energy balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. A practice known as ‘inner smile meditation,’ common in Buddhist traditions, emphasizes being fully aware of one’s emotions to avoid reactive responses when under pressure.
Through her training sessions, workshops, and written works, Jennifer Day has transformed once-unconventional practices into accepted best practices within the business world. This transformation has enabled numerous business leaders globally to cultivate emotional intelligence and enhance their communication skills, positioning them to steer their organizations toward greater achievements.
