Do you think the $6.5 million per year UFC champion, Ronda Rousey, punch through some windows or crushes doors with her bare hands before a fight?
Not at all. She says she’s the most emotional before fights. In fact, she has cried a lot the day before her last fight.
Don’t be surprised by her confession. Some of the toughest people in the history like Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, and the President Obama have openly cried, and sometimes even in public. But why wouldn’t they as many psychologists claim crying shows the mental strength of a person.
Here are five reasons why crying is characteristic of mentally strong people:
1. Not Afraid of Emotions
Confronting your emotions is not always easy, whether that’s anger, sadness, depression, or frustration. And when crying, you are actually doing that-you confront your emotions. Suppressing these emotions on the other hand is much easier thing to do, especially if we talk about negative feelings. Doing the opposite means bravery, strength, and ability to look inwards.
2. Lack Of Concern For the Stigma of Crying
Some of the world-strongest people like Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr., and Emmeline Pankhurst went against social expectations. They did what was frowned upon at the time. Although crying won’t get you imprisoned or killed, it does stay frowned upon in society. And sadly, this refers to both genders. When women cry, they might be seen as dramatic or crazy, and in case of men, they are seen as weak.True strength putting social convention aside not caring about this stigmatization, and dealing with your emotions reasonably.
3. It Makes You a Leader
You can liberate people around you if you cry openly about some shared circumstance. By deciding to be the first one to shed tears, it will encourage others to feel free to show their emotions. In this way, you decide to be strong and that will make you a true leader.
4. Ability to Know How To Relieve Stress Before It Harms Your Health
Strength is way much more than just hardiness in the architecture world. A sturdy structure should relieve stress effectively before it starts being destructive. It’s the same case with people. A strong person relieves built up stress with crying, before it causes health damages if not properly dealt with.
Check out the video below to learn more about the benefits of crying.
Via WebMD | How Stuff Works | MTV | E Times | Psychology Today