I am a cry baby.

I have this problem (well it’s a problem to me) where I get overcome with emotion and then there is nothing I can do to stop my tears.  I cry during movies, commercials, speeches, graduations, weddings, songs, when I read books/stories/articles, podcasts, and worst of all when I am doing any type of public speaking or even interviews (ugh).  It’s not just when I feel sad but it’s when I am happy or I feel moved, I get overcome with all the feelings and my body reacts by letting out the tears.  My eyes get red, swollen, and the tears come and won’t stop.  It’s really embarrassing and it is oftentimes not convenient or effective.  Imagine being in an interview and talking with your prospective employer and bawling your eyes out! 

Sometimes it feels really good to let out a nice long cry.  That feels cathartic.  But uncontrollable tears just feels awkward.  I have been dealing with my cry-baby tendencies for most of my life (ironically my parents tell me I rarely cried as an actual baby).  I wish I could just feel the feels without showing it on the outside, but I have tried to hold back my tears so many times and it backfires.  So now, I prepare myself, best as I can, and bring tissues (and eyeliner) wherever I go.