A thin film of tears coated my lashes and saliva bubbled threateningly in my throat. The combination of the stifling steam emanating from the Bain-Marie and the venomous vendetta disguised beneath a thin veneer of pleasantness she spat in my direction was making me feel increasingly edgy. The hands of the clock tiptoed by, amplifying the incessant cacophony of put downs that circled around my head. Finally, mercifully, with the echoes of the last barbed insult following me out the door, I burst like a firecracker across the street. Tears etched their tracks into my cheeks, hot and unrelenting. By the time I escaped the oppressive clutches of my earlier morning I was a wretched mess, but believe me when I say that this wasn’t the first time. In fact, I’ve been a crier for as long as I can remember. I’ve come to accept that my hypersensitivity and predilection for shedding a tear or two are unfortunate character flaws that will likely be fairly major influences professionally and personally over the coming years. Despite my inclination to tear up at the smallest thing, however, I’ve come to realise that some days a good cry fixes everything. There is a remarkable catharsis that comes with the act of crying. Pent up emotion, stress and pain are all purged through a fountain of hot tears, and emotional equilibrium is restored. While the benefits of emotional restoration are clear, I’ll admit that physically, letting the tears flow holds little charm for the female population. The panda eyes, the beet red cheeks and the streaks of snot scrawled down your freshly made up face leave little to be desired. But isn’t vanity a reasonable price to pay for your sanity? Even though this process of emotional cleansing might not be as organic for some of you as it is for me, let me tell you that the benefits far outweigh the temporary drawbacks of looking pretty average. After all, a puffy, streaky visage is a small price to pay for a pervasive sense of emotional calm. If you, like many others that I have spoken to, struggle to embrace your soft side, I’ve got some tips (and practical considerations) to help you harness the power of a good cry to your advantage.
Tip Number One: Don’t underestimate the power of popular culture. Whether it’s the strains of Celine Dion or the final scene of The Notebook, sometimes you just need a stimulus to get the tears flowing.
Tip Number Two: Get some privacy. Lock the doors and draw the curtains (or shut yourself in a toilet cubicle, should it come to that) so you can cry your heart out away from prying eyes.
Tip Number Three: Don’t be afraid to let it all out. Fake crying and/or crocodile tears rarely achieve the same outcome as a legit outburst, so feel free to sob, shudder and sniffle to your heart’s content.
Tip Number Four: Try not to get distracted. Yes, I know that in this world of crazy deadlines and War and Peace-sized To-Do lists, having a good cry to ensure your emotional health is not a high priority, but being preoccupied with other stuff will defeat the purpose of the exercise.
Tip Number Five: During the post-crying process, taking care of your nose is vital. Believe me, the last thing you want at the end of a good crying jag is a bulbous Rudolph nose courtesy of some dodgy, single ply Home Brand tissues. Help nurse your nose back to its original condition by investing in a scented Kleenex. Trust me, it’ll be worth it.
So, there you have it. Some of my best tips to add to your emotional arsenal, ready when you are. So what are you waiting for? Pop in Titanic, grab the Aloe Vera tissues and start crying!
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