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This lesson’s activities and supplements are designed to assist you in accepting difficult, yet healthy stress. Since this lesson is more advanced, you will need to devote extra time for maximizing value. Also, with the assignments in this lesson being more difficult, employing your self-coaching skills is a prescription-level recommendation!
As mentioned before, the definitions for EQ vocabulary words are modified from standard dictionaries to emphasize emotionally meaningful descriptions. We advise that you reflect upon a different word each day for seven days, while watching how you apply each word to your thoughts and actions that day. Also for enhancing the impact of these words on your behavior, spend time memorizing the brief definitions.
1. allegiance- n. A reverent regard, devotion, faithfulness, responsibility or obligation to support a person or a cause. When we consider such reverent regard, we have a better chance of building an allegiance that contributes toward bonding and developing a strong relationship. Synonyms. loyalty, dedication, obedience. Antonyms. apathy, disobedience, treason.
2. appraisal- n.
The act of estimating, considering an opinion or judgment of the nature, importance, quality, value, credibility, needs, etc. of something or someone. An appraisal at best is an act of reasoning that the mind can perform beyond superficial judgment by acquiring further knowledge or details. Appropriate appraisals are necessary for increasing self-awareness. Synonyms. evaluation, assessment, critique.
3. sacrifice n. The surrender of one thing for the sake of another that has a more pressing demand.
Sacrifice allows for the transfer of power that would otherwise remain in conflict. Sacrifice is a necessary behavior for accepting healthy stress and contributes significantly toward our emotional growth. Synonyms. Endure, yield, surrender. Antonyms. continue, reject, deny.
4. moderate n. To avoid excess and keep within reasonable or proper limits. To tone down or reduce excitement; put doubt, suspicion, anger, or other potent emotions to rest or in a controllable state.
Moderate usually stresses the idea of caution, control or self- restraint, contributing to many balancing aspects of EQ. Synonyms. balance, reasonable, limit. Antonyms. Excessive, extreme, measured.
5. endeavor n. To exert oneself; to attempt with a degree of effort to try to do or affect something and achieve or gain. Having an endeavor contributes toward strengthening our approach to a purposeful action that helps us improve our EQ. Synonyms. try, strive, labor. Antonyms. passivity, inactivity.
6. yield- v. To give up, as to a superior power or healthy authority; to relinquish or resign; to give way to influence; to give precedence. To concede under some degree of pressure, but not necessarily to surrender, totally. Yield contributes toward improving our EQ as a yield sign in the mind, yet we have to be careful to yield to a positive, rather than negative ideal. Syn. to bend, submit, surrender.
Antonyms. to defend, retain, refuse.
7. regard- n.
To value or look upon highly, to think of respectfully and with concern. Regard is a major component of healthy self-governing and contributes toward distinguishing how much we care about something. Synonyms. scrutiny, heed, concern. Antonyms. carelessness, thoughtlessness, inattention.

A simple way to gauge your own reaction to healthy stress is by adding revealing questions to your daily journal.
As with previous journaling instructions, review the questions below periodically throughout the day and at day’s end, replay your memories to clarify and note your answers.
1. How did I stretch my endurance to healthy stress today?
By keeping this question at the forefront of your mind throughout the day, the mere suggestion that you note your answer can help stretch your limits at least once or more each day. Evaluating your performance, over time, can build your tolerance or reveal deeper problems.
2. What did I say to myself today that allowed me to react naturally to my emotions, rather than
with emotional intelligence?
Sometimes our reactions to emotions can be quick and subtle because of prolonged habits. To access our emotional intelligence, we need to pause and allow time for our minds to come to terms with better judgments. Sometimes we must even spend time preparing the mind by visualizing ourselves accepting wiser choices. By slowing down enough to evaluate our emotions and admit better choices, honestly, we have a chance to talk ourselves into taking more appropriate action.
If you haven’t already done so, please complete questionnaire Assessment I and II regarding
Smart Choices and Avoiding Healthy Stress to help you recognize contributing factors.
Also spend time with the other two supplements, Potential Consequences and Motivation and Stress
Calming Handbook Excerpt to further digest this lesson’s topic. All these lesson tools are designed to assist in strengthening your resolve. Combining frequent review of supplements and these activities should reward you empowering insight.