I cry a lot. I used to try to fight it and tell people that it took a lot to make me cry, but that's just a lie. I always thought that crying made me weak, that if I cried then it meant I was being overly emotional and sensitive or that I needed to be tough, but that's just a lie. I learned that not being okay is okay, and sometimes you just need to cry it out. Crying does not make you weak or any less of a woman than you were when you only cried once a year.

I cry when I'm sad, which is usually the only reason people think you should cry. But I don't just mean I cry when something tragic happens, but sometimes I just feel sad so I let myself cry. Sometimes I need to reflect on something in the past, and I cry about it again. Sometimes it's exactly what I need to get back on my feet and move toward happiness.

I cry when I'm mad. I don't get too mad very often but when I do I am in tears, which is okay. I get so aggravated with a person or a situation or myself that I just cry. I can try to fight and be mad at someone, but I can never successfully do it because I just end up in a puddle of tears.

I cry when I'm happy. I don't just mean when someone gets married or saved or anything life changing, I have literally cried because a girl gave me a piece of chocolate in class. I will hear a cute story or see a cute picture and shed a few tears, but I don't mind.

I cry when I'm stressed. I've driven around crying just because I'm stressed, I've taken a cry break while studying, I've cried when I can't decide what to wear. I honestly think crying is one of the best things you can do when you're stressed, it helps to clear your mind, get all the frustration and stress out, and you can finally be relieved.

I cry when I'm upset. Being upset is different than being sad or stressed, it's a feeling of emotional hurt, which I have found will heal with tears (and maybe some chocolate). If I'm upset with a friend or something that I've done, I cry, and I move on.

Crying shouldn't be a bad thing, it shouldn't define who is weak and who is "tough." I guess to me, crying helps me move forward. Once I cry, it's over and I can move towards being happy and content with my life not having a lump in my throat or ongoing thought in my mind causing stress and sadness. When I cry, it cleanses me. Crying isn't being over sensitive, it's showing that you can feel something, it shows that you care about something, and that is nothing I could ever be ashamed of.