In society we are often told directly or subtly that it’s weak to cry or that you should be “strong” and not cry. But why is crying perceived as a weakness? It’s simply an expression of an emotion, a release. It’s selfcare at its finest. So, I’m here to share that it’s not only okay to cry but that it’s definitely not a weakness!
Every Emotion Serves a Purpose
Every emotion that we have serves a purpose. Guilt alerts us that we may be heading in a direction that we shouldn’t. Joy indicates that we have found something that makes us happy.
There’s a certain beauty with crying though because it can show us many things. We cry when we are happy, surprised, upset, frustrated, overwhelmed. Crying is a reaction to all of these emotions and acts as a healthy release for us. It lets us get these feelings out; it lifts the weight of the emotion off of us.
So Why Are We Discouraged from Crying
Personally, I think this is an old adage that has simply carried on through the years. It used to be seen by some as a sign of weakness. In reality though, I think of it as a sign of strength. That you’ve gone through so much, handled so much that you just need a release. And that’s all it is – a release. Not necessarily an indication that you can’t handle something.
While there is a time and place for everything, I encourage crying. There’s nothing more refreshing at times then a good cry to wash away the old and start fresh. It’s a way to give yourself a reset on any problems that caused you to cry or, if it was for a happy reason, it can be a way to show how much you care.
Time and Place to Cry
While I feel that crying should be an expression of an emotion that we should feel free to do, I do feel like at times there is a time and place for it. I think, when possible, avoiding crying in class or at work, is always a good thing. Right or wrong, many people in these settings look upon it as unprofessional. Given the hard work you put into these areas of your life, it seems prudent to avoid chancing tarnishing that image if at all possible. Again, right or wrong there still is that perception out there so it’s something you may want to take into account.
Sometimes though it can’t be avoided. Life happens. You receive unexpected bad news at work or perhaps something in school really frustrated you to the point of tears. Don’t forget, it’s always okay to cry. You can’t always help when “life” will interject itself into a moment. Those that matter will understand.
Did I mention – it’s okay to cry?
What are your Thoughts on Crying?
Do you feel better after a good cry? Do you cry only in private or do you cry when the moment arises, public or not?
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23 March 2021
I used to be very scared of showing my emotions. But now I know that it’s ok to cry, and that keeping everything on the inside is often times the worst option!
I’m happy to hear that you’ve had these insights – they will serve you well. 🙂
I am soooo glad to read this! I too write about thought-provoking content that forces the reader to take pause and realize truly what its like to be human. I love reading your blogs! Best of the best! (If interested, I wrote a blog entitled: “Why Can’t I Just Be Happy!’)
I’m thrilled to hear you enjoy my blogs Beth! It sounds like you are quite the blogger as well! 🙂
Great post, Lisa! Yes, I feel better after a good cry, and cry whenever the emotion takes over. To me it shows the compassionate side of a person. I always told my boys it is Ok to cry. I don’t think anyone should tell you it isn’t OK or a sign of weakness.
I agree – I think that everyone (men and women) should feel free to cry when the emotion hits them. It’s such a healthy release.
I used to think crying was a sign of weakness. Now I know that it’s my way of clearing the bad emotions and releasing them out of my brain and body. As odd as it sounds, I always feel better after a good cry. Thanks for this post 🙂
You are welcome Jen – I’m glad you are at the place you are at with this! 🙂
I enjoyed this article. I was raised being taught that crying was a sign of weakness, especially for men. One of the hardest moments in my life was watching my brother and dad break down in tears when we lost my niece to leukemia. Seeing the two strongest men in my life openly crying did not seem weak to me then and helped me to see crying as a strength now. Thank you for this article.
You are very welcome Sharon. Thank you for sharing your story!
I appreciate you have written on this sensitive topic.
Crying is not sign of weakness. It’s shows that I also have emotions.
It’s ok to cry. We should not force ourselves to NOT to cry. Let the tears come out.
But yes, sometimes we need to hide our tears to not hurt someone close to us.
You are very welcome Vanesh – I’m glad you enjoyed the article. Thank you for sharing your insights!
Crying is okay and turning this type of emotion into positive rather than negative is worth it.
Yes, yes yes! Totally agree Dan!
I was one of those who perceived crying as weakness. However as I’ve gotten more matured, I’ve realized it takes greater strength to vulnerable. I especially refute the idea that boys shouldn’t cry with my son. Of course, it doesn’t need to be done in excess or without reason, but there shouldn’t be an expectation that males shouldn’t cry.
Exactly Kimberlie – I agree with you completely! Thank you for sharing your story and stopping by!
Normally, I crying only when the moment arises,
That makes sense acaselaw! 🙂
I believe crying is a way of inner cleansing and it is very important for our emotional health. But I cry a lot,lol! Whenever I get angry I cry but it really cools me down. And after a good crying session and letting go of all hurts I feel so light and bright. This maybe because I am one big emphat and use to carry lots of others emotions too. My friends/colleagues come to me with all their secrets and problems, that needs a lot of cleansing. But it really good to cry irrespective of any gender. Thanks for this wonderful article.
You are very welcome – it sounds like you have a great grip on this whole crying topic. 🙂
I think that, sometimes we are told not to cry because other people cannot handle it. I know that alot of men are told not to cry because it is too “womanly”. It is a shame that tears are deemed as weak. Some of the strongest people I know cry. I cry. Thank you for sharing this.
I completely agree with you Jaymee in all respects! Thank you for sharing your commments!
Crying is not supposed to be considered as a person’s weakness. Expressing emotions does not make one weak. Men especially are judged when the cry. It does not mean they are weak or soft, it means they are capable of expressing their emotions and not act all though and strong. Love this post!
Glad you enjoyed the post – I couldn’t agree with you more!
Something I always say to people is that every emotion is valid. Feel what you need to feel and when you need to feel it. I’ve learned over the years that it’s important to express emotion, it’s what makes us human and they honestly don’t scare me. If someone’s crying, they have a reason for it, and they clearly need to let it out.
I spent years bottling everything up only to explode – it’s not healthy.
Such a good post, and one that really got me thinking.
james.
I’m really glad to hear that you enjoyed the post James! You made some excellent points in your comments – thank you!
This is such an important post, recently made a post on this, our world need to stop shaming crying. It doesn’t mean we are weak or easily penetrable. I feel like its just an emotion that everyone has and is there for a reason and if we aren’t using it, we might not be able to function as good as we ought to. Thanks for sharing this post❤❤❤
You are welcome Rebiah – I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Sometimes it definitely can’t be avoided, depending on the reason for crying but as a general rule, I’d agree about crying at work. Perhaps not so much on your own time, during lunch. But during working hours, meetings, etc, I personally would try not too!
Me too Jenny!
I used to feel that if I cried, it meant I was weak. I’m definitely learning that’s not true. I feel so much better after a good cry.
I do too Natasha – it’s such a great release!
Sometimes, we have to cry and that’s ok!
Nancy ♥ exquisitely.me
Exactly Nancy! 🙂
I love the concept of ‘Every emotion serves a purpose.’ I’ve been trying to be more accepting of my own emotions recently for this reason!
That is excellent Jennifer!! I hope it’s working out good for you!
I am still struggling with this question because there are so many sides! If I cry when it happens something bad, then it is a weakness. If I cry from happiness, then it’s NOT a weakness. But my psychotherapist says, if we cry, it means we don’t know what to do next and we are doing that what we have done in childhood – cry.
What is the right answer, I don’t know. But I think, everything depends on a person. For emotional persons crying is more normal, but for another person crying can mean having depression!
It sounds like you’ve analyzed it quite a bit in search of solutions – that’s a great step towards figuring out why you cry and when.