By Aled Lloyd Rees
Like most of us in life, we all either want to be some sort of writer or have that the urge to release our inner novel to the words and become the next George R.R Martin.
I was, I must admit, about to suggest, JK Rowling, as my example author, however, as a member of the fabulous LGBTQ community I struggle to accept her idiotic and ridiculous views and notions on the trans community, even though I was and at somewhat, still am a big fan of the Harry Potter series.
I am not trans myself, however, I fully believe and support my trans brothers and sisters. We are who we are, we can be whoever we want to be and we should not need to justify ourselves to those narrow-minded individuals in this world.
However, this is easier said and done.
But I digress from my initial guest post.
I’ve been writing on and off for a few years. I find it’s a great form of self-therapy for me. Writing gives me a platform to express myself and to release that internal monologue from inside my mind.
Since lockdown, I’ve created my blog called, Justaled.com, with the main aim to publish my life and life experiences to the world.
The blog is designed to be open and honest about the situations that I have personally faced as a single, gay man living in a small village in Wales.
At this stage, you’re probably wondering, this isn’t very exciting, this is a very standard issue for any gay man in Wales and we have all probably shared the same experiences throughout our lives, but then again, have we?
The blog started initially as a private journal but having been a performer and working in the Arts, it soon began to slowly transform into a draft idea for a potential one-man play, but still, it was missing something.
The more I wrote; the realisation became more and more clearer to me.
I am constantly writing, but nobody is reading my work. And the reason nobody is reading my work is quite simple, my writing doesn’t go anywhere, apart from the inner depths of my hard drive.
That’s when I thought, during the lockdown, why not publish my story online, in a platform that I can control, and that’s when Justaled.com was born.
Writing gives me a voice and a platform to express myself.
For those who know me personally, will say that, I am very open, honest and quite frankly aloud mouth sociality, But, when it comes to things such as life experiences, mental health status and matters of the heart I can and have the tendency to bottle these things up.
I truly have the tendency, like most men, unfortunately, bottle up and keep my issues and feelings to myself until my issues and feelings bottleneck.And like a well shook bottle of champagne, my issues and feelings eventually, and of course dramatically, uncontrollably erupt.
I’m 33 this year, and I have already experienced two nervous breakdowns in my life, one of which I’ve recently blogged about and the other due to bullying in the workplace, another post I’m considering writing.
With life and age, I’m constantly learning from my mistakes hence the writing, or to be more precise the blogging of my past and current life events. I truly find it’s a great platform to vent.
To be quite frank, blogging is a great form of therapy…plus, it’s cheaper than going to the Shrink!
Not only is writing a great way to express our emotions and feelings via words but it’s also a great way to be creative and let our mind and imaginations run wild.
A great friend of mine once told me to start writing, but write about what you truly know the best, and fortunately for me, what I know best is in fact, me!
I know me, I truly understand me. I think a lot more of us, from time to time need to take the time to focus on ourselves. It’s not selfish, it’s not vain but we truly need some ‘me time’.
Time to properly reflect on what we need. If someone says it’s selfish and vain then pfff ignore them, unfriend them or whatever, you seriously don’t need them or their negativity in your life.
So… to recap from my standard form of ranting, this guest blog post, from yours truly sums up the following:Get writing, be more open and honest about yourself and your issues, there’s nothing to be ashamed about.
1.Blogging is a great form of self-evaluating if not a great form of venting.
2. Speaking directly to the gentlemen reading this post, gents it’s ok not to be ok, just let it out, talk about your issues and feeling, and if you can’t talk, then write them down.
3. Nobody needs to see your internal monologue, because quite frankly that’s what a blog is, but then again sharing can equally be rewarding. As they say, sharing is caring and your words could be the answers to the questions of another seeking guidance.
Get blogging.
Born and raised in Gorslas, Carmarthenshire. Aled spent 12 years of his career working in Communications and PR for the social housing and third sector in Wales, before heading to a career in the Arts Sector. Aled previously worked at the prestigious Wales Millennium Centre before finding his true calling and home at Theatr Iolo as its Artistic Administrator.
Thanks to Aled for writing exclusively for Mrs SVJ – the community blog of Sue Vincent-Jones. Sue is a journalist, editor, and communications specialist who blogs about Barry – and her life in the wider world, through the eyes of a quirky, and queer, girl done good.
Mrs SVJ, Barry’s Boldest Blogger, can be contacted here.