EXCLUSIVE INSIGHT INTO THE REVAMP OF GUM ON MY SHOE | GUEST POST BY MARTIN BAKER

“I’ve discovered that in order to make big changes in the world, we have to begin at home.”

Ann M. Martin

I feel like I’ve been waiting a long time to publish this guest post by my best-friend and fellow mental health Blogger (on www.gumonmyshoe.com), Martin Baker. This is mostly because over recent years, he’s actually mentioned a couple of times the idea of making changes to his blog, particularly, in terms of the layout, design, and content of the pages etc but obviously hasn’t acted upon those considerations… Until now! Just two days ago – on January 24^th – Martin finally revealed the huge revamp he’d been working on for what feels like a lifetime! And I’m so incredibly proud of him for taking this huge step and risk, for putting so much time, energy, and thought into blogging. I’ve always said that whilst I don’t have a whole of ‘friends’ I do feel a special connection between Martin and I because he’s my only best-friend with a blog and with blogging and content creation in general, being such a huge and important part of my life, it really matters to have someone who appreciates and understands all that it can entail. So, wishing Martin the most massive of luck for the response he receives from his blog’s readers and an equally massive well done for the dedication, determination, and commitment it took to do the revamp! Now, over to Martin…

YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE (WALKING ALONE) | GUEST POST BY MARTIN BAKER OF GUM ON MY SHOE | INTERNATIONAL MEN'S DAY 2025

You’ll never walk alone.

 

Liverpool Football Club motto

I’m grateful to Aimee for the opportunity to write this guest piece for International Men’s Day (IMD). For those who don’t know, IMD is marked every year on November 19. The purpose is to acknowledge the positive value men bring to the world, their families and communities, and raise awareness of men’s health, mental health, and well-being. The theme for 2025 is “Celebrating Men and Boys.”

THE CONTINUOUS JOURNEY OF MENTAL HEALTH BY JACK WILSON | MEN'S MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH 2025 | GUEST POST

Mental health, both good and bad, is a continuous journey. Your age, situation or background doesn’t mean you cannot seek the help and support you need…

Over the past 2 years, having went through a big dip in my mental health, leaving work and becoming a family carer for my Grandmother, it is safe to say life has not been very straight forward. That is why for Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month this year, I felt it important to do this blog.

To find support, advice and guidance about men’s mental health please visit the Mental Health UK website – https://mentalhealth-uk.org/mens-mental-health/

WRITING THE FOREWORD FOR MY FRIEND'S BOOK BY MARTIN BAKER | 7 DAYS UNTIL YOU'RE NOT DISORDERED PUBLISHES!!!

Foreword /ˈfɔːwəːd/ 

Noun: a short introduction to a book, typically by a person other than the author. 

 

Would you mind writing a foreword for me?  

I was happy and proud earlier this year when my friend Aimee Wilson invited me to write the foreword for her new book You’re NOT Disordered: The Ultimate Wellbeing Guide for Bloggers. It was a great honour and responsibility, and something I took very seriously. I remember when Fran and I were looking for someone to write the foreword for our book High Tide, Low Tide: The Caring Friend’s Guide to Bipolar Disorder. It was important to find someone we trusted, who also had relevant experience and standing. For Aimee to extend me that degree of trust meant a great deal, not least because I knew how important her writing in general — and this book in particular — was to her.  

GUEST POST: SO YOU WANT TO WRITE A BOOK? | HERE'S SOME ADVICE BEFORE YOU START | BY BLOGGER & AUTHOR; MARTIN BAKER

I’m grateful to Aimee for inviting me to contribute an article about writing a book. In doing so, I’ll draw primarily on my experience as co-author with Fran Houston of High Tide Low Tide: The Caring Friend’s Guide to Bipolar Disorder (2016, Nordland Publishing). An extended edition was published by Kingston Park Publishing in 2021. I’ll cover some practical steps to think about in preparing to write your book. Your platform as an author, marketing and promotion, and the various routes to publication are also important, but are out of scope of this article. My suggestions are most relevant to non-fiction but many of the topics apply no matter what kind of book you want to write... 

GUEST POST: MY JOURNEY WITH PCOS BY EMMA GREAVES-MOUSA

I'm so pleased to bring this post to you all by Emma Greaves-Mousa who struggled after being diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). I also have this diagnosis but have been a lot more shy than Emma to share my story around it so i take my hat off to Emma for being so brave, open, and honest around this.

Also, if you want to know more about Emma's journey, check out her blog: https://adayinthehappylife.wordpress.com/

The day I was diagnosed with PCOS (polycystic ovaries) was the day myself and my husband were seeing a fertility doctor. We were checking that all was well as we wanted to try for a baby. I laid on the bed in the clinic while the doctor scanned my ovaries and womb. I have never had an ultrasound scan before so really didn’t know what he was looking for, or what he found. 

11 years prior to this, I sat in a doctor’s office age 17, describing a very irregular menstrual cycle. I was a ‘late developer’ with my period arriving age 17, years after most of my classmates. Finally, when it did arrive, it wasn’t clockwork like I’d been told during sex education lessons. What the hell was going on? The doctor prescribed me Microgynon 30. Walking out of the clinic I felt elated! Finally, something that will help with my irregular cycles, and also ensure that I don’t fall pregnant, how is this not a win win situation?! There was no conversation about what could have been causing an irregular cycle. There was no conversation about the weight that I had gained as my period arrived. There was no conversation about PCOS. 

24HRS WITH... BEX HUGHES, FND SUFFERER

Date:

Thursday (I had to double check that, days are mostly meaningless for me!) 2nd April 2020

Why have you chosen to write about today?

Because it was mostly the exact same as every day has been for 6+months- and not many people can say that right now!

Good morning!

What time did you wake up?

Around 08:15

Why did you wake up at that time?

My carers woke me up. Sometimes I wake up when they access my key safe (which is mad-loud considering it’s on the outside of my house!) but today they had to actually walk into my living room- where my hospital bed is- to get any reaction.

Did you have a dream?

Not that I can remember! I’m a deep sleeper and I think I leave my dreams buried deep, too.

FIVE THINGS THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC HAS TAUGHT ME BY MARTY BAKER | GUEST POST

I’d like to thank Aimee for inviting me to contribute to this article for I’m NOT Disordered and for the opportunity to share things I’m learning in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

1. I Live a Very Privileged Life

Coronavirus has brought home to me what I already knew, which is that I live a life that is privileged in many ways. I’m fortunate to be in employment, my job is secure, and I’m able to work from home during this crisis. I’ve had to cancel my holiday and I miss meeting friends but I’m fine for groceries and can cover any extra costs and expenses that might come up. Most importantly, I’m able to keep in touch with the most important people in my life. As I said recently in an audio blog, “There are many people in far worse situations than I am. I count myself as very fortunate.” 

2. How Interconnected the World Is

I think we’re all learning how interconnected the modern world is. There’s a downside to that, in that it’s meant the virus has spread rapidly within communities and around the world. But there are positives too. I’ve been moved by people’s responses to what’s happening, many of which are using the Internet in creative new ways. Local support networks, Amazon wish list exchanges, online concerts and exercise classes, counselling and therapy appointments using Skype and Zoom, and social media peer support are just some of the examples I’ve come across. 

BLOGMAS 2019 – POST FOURTEEN : GUEST POST | MARTY’S CHRISTMAS WISHLIST!

Thanks to a poll on my Twitter back in November, my wonderful followers decided that I should publish a blog post and film a vlog every day for the entirety of December!

So welcome to December 14th… 

by Martin Baker

This post started out as a chat with Aimee about her awesome blogmas/vlogmas extravaganza here at I’m NOT Disordered. The conversation went something like this: 

“Marty, would you like to contribute to the incredible amount of content I’m going to need?!” 

“I thought you’d never ask! What would you be looking for?” 

“I have no clue!! Something Christmassy though! Could be like a wish list?” 

“I can do that!” 

And so, here it is: