Why do we need courage to cry?
If you view crying as weak consider this perspective. Meekness is controlled strength. We can put on a strong and steely exterior if we choose to, or we can control that strength and allow our humanity to be exposed. If we choose meekness eventually there will be tears. The truth is, tears are indicators.
Whether it’s sadness, or overwhelm, or even frustration, tears help us know that we are in pain. Yes, sometimes it’s physical but many times it’s emotional. And that’s what we are doing when we cry, we’re cleansing our emotions. Just like a hot shower cleanses our bodies, tears cleanse our souls.
In fact, there’s a lot of science behind our tears. Emotional tears are chemically different that other ways we cry; from injury, from being overjoyed, and even from just tearing up. Tears are a biological way to process our emotions at a time when we may not have the language to express what we are feeling.
Tears also let us know when we need help.
In our self-sufficient culture we try to meet our own needs as much as possible. Tears help us see that we need help and can’t meet our own needs at the time. This can be hard when others don’t know how to help. A simple phrase such as, “can you just stay with me while I cry,” could be a lifeline to both yourself and a safe person who wants to see you through your cry fest.
Don’t give up if you felt they weren’t there for you. Maybe revisiting the opportunity later can help this process for the future. No matter what your perspective is on crying remember these 3 key points;
Don’t apologize for crying. EVER. Crying is natural.
No one else gets to say if something is, “worth crying over.” Your emotions will decide for you.
Make sure the people you cry with are worthy witnesses. No na-sayers allowed.
LISTEN TO EPISODE 27 : Courage to Cry for more insights on this topic.
Photo by pawel szvmanski on Unsplash
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