90. Crying in Public, Letting Your Guard Down, and How Emotions Build Stronger Connection

Would you be embarrassed if you cried in public?Because I wouldn't be. And I wasn't, even after crying in a coffee shop on a "first date" with a new friend.In this solo episode, I'm exploring and celebrating my own growth around working through emotions in real time. For the first 20+ years of my life, I would bottle up my emotions, until one small trigger, and I'd have a full emotion breakdown. There was no in-between. Now? I can let tears roll in the middle of a conversation with a woman I just met, and walk away feeling more connected to her, not mortified.If you're the woman who won't let herself cry, especially not in public, especially not in front of a stranger, this episode is for you. I'm talking about why tears are not a sign of weakness, what is actually happening in your body when you bottle emotions instead of releasing them, and the middle ground between "stoic and tough" and "complete meltdown."KEY TAKEAWAYSCrying in front of someone often deepens the relationship, not damages it.Bottled emotions do not disappear, they stack.A middle ground exists between "stoic and tough" and "complete meltdown." It took me 20 years to find it, and I'm still learning how to navigate my emotions.Letting your guard down is the practice of trusting yourself to handle whatever emotions come up in real time, without making the tears mean something about your worth or your character."We can let the tears roll down our face in the middle of a conversation with somebody we don't know. And it doesn't mean the world is ending." - Teresa StastnyConnect with Teresa Join the Becoming Obsessed Playground, the weekly email for curiosity-led women building a life they love. Instagram: @becomingobsessedpod and @teresaajeanLeave a review on Apple or Spotify Podcasts. Reviews are the biggest thank-you, and reviews help ambitious women find the show.Website: teresaajean.comTopics: how to stop bottling up emotions, crying in public, emotional regulation for women, nervous system regulation, vulnerable connection, ambition and self-care, personal growth podcast for ambitious women, curiosity-led living