Cry. Forgive. Learn. Move on. Let your tears water the seeds of your future happiness. Steve Maraboli, author
“Crying activates the body in a healthy way,” says Stephen Sideroff, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist at UCLA and director of the Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Ethics. “Letting down one’s guard and one’s defenses and [crying] is a very positive, healthy thing. The same thing happens when you watch a movie and it touches you and you cry… That process of opening into yourself… it’s like a lock and key.”
This must be good news for those of you who are prone to tears. Growing up in a “stoic” family environment, for me tears have always felt like a show of weakness and I avoid them if possible. However, there’s nothing as satisfying as a good cry when watching a sad or heartfelt movie alone. Or, an Olympic athletic realizing her lifelong dream.
Affirmation: Crying is a healthy thing.
Coaching questions: How do tears (your own and other’s) affect you? When do you give yourself permission to cry?
Photo by Javier Martínez on Unsplash
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