Cry more; Smile more

We tend to think of crying as an unenjoyable experience. We avoid shedding tears however often we can. Society even indoctrinates us to “suck it up” or “toughen up” when we are vulnerable and honest with our hurt.

But that must cause some sort of stress? Being dishonest with our emotions while knowing they are there must cause internal tension, right? Right! In fact, bottling up ones emotions can lead to anxiety, depression, a lack of intrinsic motivation, it may even cause one to have frequent headaches. Our emotions become burdens to bear as we try our best to hide our truths from the world.

However, there is a solution. Cry more. Just let it all out. Cry with the intent to release and heal. Emotions are like rapid seasons. Just as seasons change throughout the year, emotions can change hour by hour, experience by experience. The issue with bottling them inside, is that you don’t allow their “season” to pass. In order to release yourself from the winters of your sadness, you must choose to transition to spring. One must choose happiness.

In an article written by healthline.com, crying can actually detoxify the body.

“…emotional tears contain stress hormones and other toxins. Researchers have theorized that crying flushes these things out of your system, though more research is needed in this area.”

Healthline.com

It may also help if you have a “village”, a friend or a group of friends that you can be completely vulnerable with. Find a safe space to be authentically you, especially when experiencing difficult moments. The psalmist, Bill Withers, once said “we all need somebody to lean on”.

When you release emotional tension, you tend to smile more. Even on days when it may make no sense to smile, just smile anyway. Smiling releases endorphins which helps us to feel happier. Smiling more frequently can also strengthen our immune system.

Overall, it pays to cry more. Think of your tears as investments into your future happiness. When the feeling of sadness passes, you will reap the rewards of your wise investments.

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