It's been a difficult year for Jennifer Garner, after her father passed away aged 85 in April. Since then, the actress revealed that despite the sunny disposition she wears in public, she has struggled emotionally this year. She detailed exactly how she was feeling on a close friend's podcast.
© Screenshot Lipstick on the Rim YouTubeThe Lipstick on the Rim podcast host Molly Sims, a friend of the actress's, asked her how she remains positive all the time, and Jennifer confessed that wasn't always the case.
"Molly, of all people, you know better than anyone that I don't all the time," she said. "You kind of are where you are and you just have to find the friends who can handle that for you."
© Jeff GentnerShe confessed: "Think of how many times I showed up at your house and just started crying, because you were safe and you were somebody I could do that with."
© Instagram"That's nothing to be taken lightly, I don't take that lightly and I don't take that for granted," she continued, getting tearful as she shared her perspective: "But we have to allow ourselves to not be perfect all the time."
For Jennifer, it had been such a difficult year that she recalled attending one of Molly's parties and having to leave because she found herself crying.
© Instagram"I remember you throwing a party and I walked in and I just was not ready to be around people for whatever I was going through at the time," she detailed. "I got super, super weepy and emotional and you just stopped and helped me."
The star may not have opened up about what got her feeling so emotional, but between the loss of her father, and her daughter Violet leaving the nest to go to university, it's certainly not been an easy year for Jennifer.
Her advice for those going through hard times? She revealed in the podcast episode: "We need each other and we also need to give ourselves and each other permission to be where we are."
She also felt supported by her close circle of friends, confirming she has "wonderful, incredible women around me all the way around."
© Jennifer GarnerSpeaking of incredible women, Jennifer reunited with her mom, Patricia Garner, and sister, Melissa Lynn Garner, while enjoying a stroll in her home state of West Virginia.
The photo was taken seven months after the passing of William John Garner, which she announced on April 1.
"My dad passed peacefully Saturday afternoon. We were with him, singing Amazing Grace as he left us (did we carry him across or scare him away – valid question)," she shared with followers.
"While there is no tragedy in the death of an 85-year-old man who lived a healthy, wonderful life, I know grief is unavoidable, waiting around unexpected corner."
