People handle their emotions in all different ways. Some people keep everything inside, other people occasionally break down, and then there are people like me. I’m the type of person who cries over everything.

OK, so maybe I’m hyperbolizing a little bit. It’s not like I’m constantly walking around sniffling with tears streaming down my face. I’m not the type of person that you’ll pass on the sidewalk and instantly feel bad for her because you can tell just from her face how awful her day has been.

I don’t cry that much, but I do cry a lot. However, I don’t necessarily cry because I’m sad, which is why I said that I cry over “everything.” I really just mean that I cry over every kind of emotion. Anger, happiness, fear, guilt, sadness, stress and pretty much any other emotion/feeling can cause the water works to begin for me, but this wasn’t always the case.

As a little kid, I used to just cry when I was sad or when I got hurt. However, I’ve learned as an adult that kids seem to mostly cry from the surprise of getting hurt versus the actual pain of it, and this realization allows me to not cry from pain unless it’s pretty excruciating. Anyways…

As I got older, I learned that crying can be associated with anger. If I’m angry, I have a hard time just sitting there and letting go whatever made me angry. I have the urge to scream, but I realize that’s not an appropriate way to behave. As a result, I usually end up crying if I can’t hold my anger in, which has its pros and cons. Pro: few people are going to give you crap about crying, especially if their actions provoked it. Con: crying because someone made you angry and crying in front of that person feels like a weakness and a failure.

On the other hand, crying can sometimes be funny. One time, my dad opened a door kind of fast and the noise/motion surprised me so much that I started crying. We both started laughing because it just seemed so silly that something so insignificant made me cry. It wasn’t like I was scared or upset; I was just surprised.

Even though being a crier can be a good emotional release or can be humorous, it can also get pretty annoying. For instance, watching movies or TV shows becomes a struggle. I lost it when I was re-watching the episode of "Grey’s Anatomy" where Derek got shot and Meredith tried to bargain with the shooter. I even got teary eyes when I watched the movie "Southpaw" because of the tensions in the father-daughter relationship. Crying over movies and TV shows can be super embarrassing, especially if you’re watching them with someone else.

Overall, I’ve accepted that I’m a crier. Even though it’s super exhausting to cry all the time, I’m happy that my body is able to deal with and release its emotions. I just have to remind myself that crying isn’t always a sign of weakness. Sometimes being able to open up and cry in front of someone can be one of the greatest signs of strength.