Since starting this blog I have received messages from those close to me and from those I wasn’t sure knew I existed, concerning the content of blog posts, personal experiences they have had, and even outcries of hopelessness.

It was never exactly my intention to help others through my writing. More so, an outlet for me to become more transparent and process my own life.

However, it has ended up accomplishing both.

One of the messages I received came from a girl I barely knew in my high school years. We continued being connected on social media but hadn’t spoke at all for the ten + years since we walked the same hallways of our youth.

The message she sent me eloquently explained that she always assumed there were two types of people in the world: people who needed help and then those who had it all together. She was honestly shocked to see someone self-proclaim themselves as a “counselor with a counselor”.

And here I am- weeks later- stuck on the idea that people truly believe this notion. You either have it together- or you don’t.

Everyone has baggage.

Everyone, from the most broken to the most obviously successful, has baggage.

However, our society STILL encourages people to hide their crazy.

In a training I attended today, the speaker discussed how we should not post on social media things we wouldn’t post as a banner on our homes. She gave the examples of relational problems and financial struggles.

It took everything inside of me not to interrupt. Not to scream. Not to rush to the front of the room and say BUT WHY.

Why must we hide our crazy?

Why must we be one or the other- needing help or having it all together?

Why must we continue the facade of our lives on social media?

We don’t have to.

We can have it together but need help sometimes, too.

We can blast our crazy.

We can become transparent.

We can work to stop the isolation that the facade of social media creates.

You are not alone.

Social media is our highlight reel. Not reality.

We all have baggage.

I have baggage.

Years of abuse.

A traumatic loss.

A fractured family.

Suicide attempts.

Chronic mental illness.

But I am not ashamed.

For, you can have it together but sometimes not.

My baggage is packed nicely. Neatly. Its contents organized and previously examined. I’ve thrown some things out over the years. The bag is zipped tight. Stored under my bed.

You can have baggage and still get your life together. Trust me.

Tomorrow I’ll make my banner: “Counselor with a Counselor”. I’ll hang it above my garage. Because everything I share on social media can be shown to the world. I am human. I have baggage. And so do you. Stop hiding it.

Be real. Be vulnerable. Be brave.