For the third year in a row, I kept track of how many times I cried. I logged the date, reason, intensity, and location of my cries into a google sheet. This site is a compilation of all of the data from this year's research, as well as comparisons to last years' data to understand any trends.

I started logging my cries in July of 2021 when I realized I cried more often than the average person, and I wanted to understand what makes me cry the most. I initially only logged the date and reason, but in 2022, I added a few more data points: the where and the how. 

Mental health is a fluctuating thing! Crying a lot or a little doesn't necessarily mean something is wrong with us, it's merely a reflection of how we all process things. I cry a lot, and many people find it concerning. But for me, it is a release of my emotions and a self-soothing tactic. 

This year, I've cried the most out of all three years -- by a long shot. But this hasn't necessarily been the hardest year. It just means I am more comfortable expressing my emotions; I feel the safest I have ever felt to feel my feelings. And that's huge!! (I could cry just thinking about it haha.) 

Logging my cries helps me to understand myself better and the way I react to my surroundings. I'm slowly learning what affects me the most, how I can put myself first, and how to love and accept my big feelings. After all, my feelings are what make me, me.

Flip through the pages to see my data throughout the years and understand maybe shedding a tear or two for yourself is okay -- you deserve it :') 

Please note: all of the reasons for my tears are personal and include names of people and things without context. Most are my partner, friends, and events/organizations I have been involved with. The details are unnecessary for understanding and evaluating the data; thank you for respecting my privacy.