Abstract
Social media is now a core component of how Generation Z communicates, learns, builds a professional identity and seeks entrepreneurial opportunities. Despite this constant connectivity, social comparison, cyberbullying, information overload, public evaluation, and pressure to be seen, there can be significant emotional strain. This article explored the emotional intelligence's influence on stress reactions to social media and its role in digital resilience for Generation Z. A complete integrative approach combined evidence from empirical, theoretical and institutional literature from the period 2018-2025. Emotional awareness, emotional regulation, adaptive coping, digital resilience, entrepreneurial well-being, and sustainable digital participation were the analysis concepts. Results showed that EI was beneficial for youth in identifying emotional triggers, in controlling impulsive reactions, in understanding online interactions and in engaging in healthier coping. The adaptive pathway between emotional awareness and regulation and recovery from negative online experiences was found to be digital resilience. Use patterns were linked to different outcomes, depending on the intensity of use, the features of the platform, social support, culture, digital literacy, and vulnerability. Emotionally savvy Generation Z users might be more equipped to deal with the many reputational challenges they are likely to face in an Asian digital economy, along with algorithmic uncertainty, customer interaction, and constant digital visibility. These skills can maintain creativity, psychological well-being, productive involvement, and entrepreneurial involvement over time. The development of emotional intelligence, digital-resilience skills, responsible platform design, and accessible mental-health support should be combined in universities, entrepreneurship programmes, workplaces, platforms and policy makers. The article adds an integrated pathway from emotional awareness to adaptive coping to digital resilience to sustainable digital entrepreneurship.