Putting on a face for the world is something that’s always been expected of women. I often hear remarks from men saying “Oh, you’d be so much prettier with a smile on that pretty face” or “Honey, don’t frown…you’re going to get wrinkles!”. I’m sure many women hear these statements on a regular basis and that this has just become a normal part of everyday life for some of us. However, what many people fail to realize is that not everyone feels like smiling everyday. Sometimes? People have bad days. Sometimes? People feel really emotionally drained. What we fail to realize is that it’s okay to walk around with a sour puss. What we fail to realize is that It’s okay to not always be the happy girl.
It’s okay to not always smile or feel your best. It’s okay to humanize, normalize, and vocalize your feelings. We are people, not robots. It’s downright ridiculous for women to constantly feel pressure to be perfect from our counterparts. It’s important to understand your feelings and to concentrate on your mental and emotional health. In fact, it’s vital to acknowledge and understand these things because it’s crucial to preserving your personal, emotional, academic, and overall well being.
Being the happy girl isn’t a bad thing but it’s illogical for people to only accept, praise, and value the happy girl. Societal standards have silenced so many of us from expressing how we actually feel for too long. Start the conversation, open up to those around you, normalize the idea that people aren’t perfect and value the strength that exists in those that acknowledge and talk about their feelings. Stay strong, embrace your emotions, and take charge to break social norms!