the emotional capacity of an individual can increase with age and life experiences. this capacity certainly includes the ability to manage oneself and one's relationships. For example, life experiences change not only the knowledge level but also the emotional wiring that contributes to people's maturity. given the normal path of development, a toddler and a teenager learn how to control impluses. as a result, emotional outbursts lessen as they mature. the same toddler and teenager are also accumulating life experiences in the hippocampus and the amygdala that contribute to their development. so their capacity for emotional intelligence(EQ) is actually increasing. take another example. many children have not experienced loss and its accompanying grief, so they may not fully understand these concepts. however, as we age and experience loss in our lives, we develop a greater capacity to understand our own experiences and to empathize with others who may be experiencing loss. in this way, our capacity increases and adds to our emotional intelligence(EQ). however, without reflection and purposeful direction, some of that capacity with surely be lost.