These days many of us feel isolated. We struggle in silence with the experiences that weigh on us throughout our lives.  We need to connect with others and know we can share our stories safely without hurtful responses or the negative judgments that typically come with sharing them online. We need a safe place to share and connect. A place where hurtful comments are not allowed and everyone is safe to share their stories. That is why I created Check Your Baggage, to provide a safe environment for everyone.

My story started when I was a little girl.

I was the fat girl when I was little. The one who was always picked last for teams in gym class. I was made fun of by other kids and even by my sisters and brother. Fortunately, the weight came off when I hit puberty. My parents went through a nasty divorce when I was 20 and it divided my entire family. At 24, I married a narcissist who verbally and on several occasions physically abused me. When our son was 20, we divorced. It was as nasty as they get. My son ended up suffering from depression and attempted suicide twice since the divorce. His father disowned him, and he still struggles with depression and anxiety. He was diagnosed with severe ADHD at 28. My first relationship post-divorce was with a guy who turned out to be a sociopath who manipulated me into loaning him most of my money, which he then stole from me, changing my entire future. Eventually, I got up the nerve to try online dating. While reading through the profiles I noticed so many men saying they wanted a woman who didn’t have any “baggage”.  Seriously??

That’s when I stopped and looked back at my life and all the events that lead me to where I am today. We all accumulate baggage throughout our lives. There is no getting around it. This baggage and how we handle it profoundly affects every aspect of our lives and most importantly it affects our mental health.

Many times it feels like we are alone in dealing with these events and feelings in our lives. We are afraid to talk about them openly with others. I know I was. But we need to talk about them. We can no longer be afraid of being judged or ashamed.  It is for the benefit of our mental health to be able to openly share our issues without fear of recourse. You are not alone.

I hope you will join me and share your stories, your thoughts, and support one another in checking your baggage and lightening your load.

 Barbara Galeazzi
Founder