What does the show "This is Us" have to do with self-care?

I was telling a few of my friends the other day about how I am obsessed with NBC's latest hit "This is Us." Most of my friends know I tend to watch a lot of trash tv (mostly the real housewives franchise) but I am totally invested in "This is Us." I literally get into my bed every Tuesday night with a box of tissues next to me and ugly cry my brains out while watching. It's a phenomenon many of my friends just don't understand. "Why would you want to watch a show and bawl the whole time?" they ask and my response is that "it is cathartic for me."

Research has shown that watching sad movies and listening to sad or very emotional songs can actually be beneficial and uplifting for some people. A study done at The Ohio State University showed that watching a sad movie helps people to self reflect and reassess their own lives and ultimately come away with a more positive attitude towards life. Fictional heartbreak makes us think of our own relationships, and that ultimately makes us feel happier.

Now I know you're thinking "wait, you want me to go and watch a sad show, movie or listen to a playlist with sad songs and cry even more than I do on a daily basis while I struggle to get pregnant? No thank you, I cry enough." I know, I know but you have to trust me. I have had my clients do this and in the end, they have told me that they end up crying less about their own situations. As a result of dedicating some time to really tapping into your emotional health and "feeling all the feels" as they say, you will be forced to think about how you can be more grateful for what you have and more content with where you are in your life and in your journey to starting a family.

Obviously, I highly recommend the show "This is Us," if you're not sure where to start, but make sure you have some tissues handy or you are going to be crying/snotting all over your sleeves. Cheers to those tears!

#selfcare #thisisus #cryingiscathartic #giveitatry #cheersfortears