We Should All Be Crying More Often
Before this past year, I considered myself a relatively dry-eyed person. After I gave birth to my second son two years ago, I was proud that after four and a half hours of labor at home, I arrived at the hospital, gave birth to him within 13 minutes, and didn’t cry once during the entire process.
Crying is good for you.
It's not just a way to release your emotions but can also help you feel more connected with others.
When we are children, crying is one of our most essential tools for learning. If a baby doesn't cry when she is hurt or uncomfortable, physical and emotional growth can be stunted. Crying also teaches us how to communicate with others and regulate our emotions.
Unfortunately, as we age, crying becomes taboo in many cultures worldwide. There's even a term for it: "crybaby culture." This is especially true in American workplaces, where men who cry are often ridiculed or seen as weak. And yet research shows that people who openly express their emotions at work are more effective at controlling their anger and anxiety than those who hold everything inside.
A recent study published in the peer-reviewed journal, Emotion, found that how people perceive criers depends on the context of their tears. Criers who are seen as helpless or incapable are rated as less competent, but those who are perceived as honest are rated as more competent.
Crying also releases endorphins that make us feel better after having an emotional outburst. This can be especially useful if you're feeling stressed out or overwhelmed by life’s challenges or setbacks. When we're upset or angry, our bodies produce stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, which can cause health problems if they’re not released through tears or laughter soon after they are made.
Recently, I have come to understand that crying regularly is a healthy release for SO many people - me included!
Regardless of the emotional release, understanding and attending to our feelings as they occur is key for our “emotional hygiene,” which is about tending to our psychological health.
When was the last time you cried?
Me Power Book Updates
I’m still celebrating having my book manuscript accepted for copy editing last week! The revisions process most definitely generated tears.
My biggest reward is a cross-country train trip to Montana with my husband and two sons, where we will visit family and friends and stay at Glacier National Park.
The immediate next steps ahead for Me Power include:
Finalize author bio, author one-pager, and back of book descriptionSecure early praise reviews
(two down, three more to go) by August 1stWork with designers on the book cover. Today, we discussed two new concepts, with a new color scheme to test. The next deadline is early August.
Complete review of the copy-edited manuscript and hand it off to proofreading once I receive it from the copy editor.
Three ⚡️ in 31 Seconds
⚡️ Each tear has THREE layers: The inner layer keeps the whole tear fastened to the eye. The middle layer is the thickest and is like a lotion that protects the eye. The outer layer is slick and keeps the surface of the tear from drying out.
⚡️ The phrase “blood, sweat, and tears” is from a speech Winston Churchill gave in 1940 but like the first use of the word empower, the metaphor goes back to the early 17th century.
⚡️ What’s your dream car? Oh Kit, how I love thee.
Jah & Jahes love sista. First, congratulations on the book! I'm glad that you are in the last stages of the publication process. I hope that you come to NYC for a book reading. Also, I appreciated the blog about the benefits of crying, but I have had to hold back my tears for years now. I am mostly sad about being separated from my beloved children for 11 years. And it hurts that no one seems to care about this situation. This makes me feel worthless and powerless, but I keep going because I'm trying to hold on to the hope that things will get better, and when they do, I will get in my tub filled with organic vegan bubble bath and cry my heart out! Blessed love.#1804 #Ayiti #ToutMounSeMoun #HousingForTheHomelessNow!
My dream car--and I'm not kidding-- is a Subaru Forrester (Sport Model). I need something I can use all year round. In this dream scenario, I take Lamborghinis to the local race track to put through their paces.