I have always had a way with emotions, as in I'm not very good at hiding them. I cry when I'm sad, I cry when I'm happy, and I even cry when others cry. Let's just say emotions tend to get the better of me.

This past week was really hard. I had to send my baby sister off to middle school, I had to say goodbye to the little girls I nanny, I had to say goodbye to all of my best friends as they all left to different colleges, but the hardest one of all is I had to drop my very best friend and my little sister off at CSU. Let's just say a million and one tears were shed this past week.

What I learned this week is that it's okay to be sad and it's okay to cry. It's a way of expressing how you feel without ever saying words. You know if someone cries when they leave you that they will truly miss you, and you know when they cry when you make them laugh that you made them genuinely happy.

I used to believe that's crying was my weakness, but I've realized that maybe it's a secret strength. I am able to put all of my emotions on the line, and everyone can easily tell how I feel about any given situation because I am unable to contain my emotions.

Now, I don't believe that we should cry over everything all the time, but I do believe that it is good for our souls to cry it out every once in a while and let all of our built up sadness go, because it honestly makes me feel so much better after I've had a long cry.

I used to be ashamed and apologize for my crying. But I've decided that my emotions are what make me who I am. I bear my soul to the world, and I will no longer allow anyone to tell me I'm not tough because I shed a few tears here and there. And I will not listen to people who tell me I'm after a pity party or attention. I'm not out for anything, crying is just the biggest way I know how to share what I'm feeling.

So this one is for all of you excessive criers. It's okay not to be okay, it's okay to cry it out, ugly cry, happy cry, sappy cry. As long as they make you feel better, I say let all the tears out you possibly can. That is your body's way of cleansing your soul and helping you to feel better.

Life comes with a lot of happiness and a lot of tears - learn to cry it out!