What It’s Really Like to Be a Dyslexic Blogger (and Why I Wouldn’t Change It)

Today I have a guest post from one of my lovely friends, Laura from MissLJBeauty – she is talking about a subject close to my heart, dyslexia. It is something I have also been diagnosed with, and if you told little we I would be writing and reviewing for a job, they would have been thrilled and probably very confused. Anyway enough of me, let me hand you over to Laura.

I was diagnosed with dyslexia back in primary school. I was actually the youngest person in my school to be registered with it, in primary five. I grew up in the Scottish Highlands in a very small rural school.  Spelling was always my big issue, that and reading. I used to mix up my b’s and d’s, and reading in sequence was a real challenge. But the funny thing is, when I was tested, they told me I had a very high IQ. It didn’t stop one teacher from telling me I was thick and wouldn’t amount to anything, though. I still think about him, and that moment has stuck with me forever. Imagine being a little girl, struggling to read the same page as everyone else, and hearing that from an adult. It hurt. But it also lit a fire in me that never really went out.

Finding my own way to learn

School was hard. I was pulled out of classes, made to learn one-to-one with a special teacher, and constantly reminded that I wasn’t like the others. It was isolating, and honestly, it made me feel stupid for a long time. But I also discovered early on that my brain just worked differently.

I excelled in singing and drama; that was my happy place. Learning lines came so naturally to me, and it turns out I have a brilliant memory. That was a turning point. Acting helped me realise that just because I couldn’t learn the same way as everyone else didn’t mean I couldn’t learn at all. I just needed to do it my way.

I even became the first person in my school and actually in Scotland with dyslexia to take Higher English orally. I used dictaphones, books on tape, and whatever tech I could get my hands on (and trust me, the internet wasn’t exactly what it is now!). It taught me resourcefulness and how to make things work when the system wasn’t built for me.

Dyslexia in my everyday life

Fast forward to now, and I’ve had quite a journey,  from acting to the police to training in beauty, massage, and facials, to blogging full-time. Every step of that road has been shaped by dyslexia.

I re-read everything (usually more than once). Spell check is my best friend. I still get my “your” and “you’re” tangled up, and honestly, I don’t always see the difference. My brain just decides they’re the same thing and moves on.

And don’t get me started on subtitles. Whoever invented those tiny, fast captions clearly wasn’t thinking about dyslexic people. I was watching the new Amanda Knox documentary the other night, and the words flew past so fast, I felt like I’d failed a test I didn’t sign up for. It’s a small thing, but it still hits that old feeling you know, the one that whispers, you’re not keeping up. And those old head master words still echo in my ears at these times. 

So yes, I still have moments where it’s hard. But here’s the thing, dyslexia also gave me the way I see the world. I think visually, emotionally, and creatively. It’s why I love photography, design, and storytelling. It’s why my blog feels like me, it’s not polished, not perfect, but honest. 

Blogging as therapy

When my mental health hit a rough patch years ago, I turned to writing. At first, it was just to give myself something to focus on. I needed a distraction and something that felt like I could control it, shape it, own it, and no one could take it from me.

That’s how my blog, MissLJBeauty, was born.

It started as a passion project and grew into my safe place. A way to share my love of beauty, fitness, and the Scottish Highlands and to talk about life honestly, including the messy bits.

Now, writing is my therapy and my job. My words might take longer to get out, but every sentence feels like an act of defiance against that headmaster’s voice from years ago. I was told I’d never make a living writing. And yet, here I am!  writing for a living, with readers all over the world.

What dyslexia has taught me

Dyslexia has shaped me into someone who never gives up. It’s made me more empathetic  I can spot when someone feels out of place, because I’ve been there. It’s also made me resourceful. My husband always tells me I would be perfect in the Traitors. If there’s a shortcut, an app, or a creative fix, I’ll find it. If it’s a person, I can read them just from their body language and their facial cues. 

But more than that, it’s taught me compassion, especially for myself, or at least I try to have it for myself.  I’ve learned that progress doesn’t look the same for everyone, and that’s okay.

Some people judge over a missing apostrophe or a misplaced “their,” but I’ve learned to let that go. The world won’t end because of a typo. What matters is that the words are there at all,  that I keep showing up and writing anyway, regardless of the punctuation police. 

My daily life now

Most days, you’ll find me typing away at home with Millie and Mylo curled up nearby. Mylo, the Dalmatian, occasionally snores so loudly I have to stop mid-sentence, and Millie’s the first to nudge me for a walk or cuddle when I’ve been staring at the screen too long or getting frustrated asking Google for a word to be spelt because spell check just isn’t getting my interpretation of the word. They’re my reset button, reminding me to get outside, breathe, and come back to the page with a clearer head.

They’ve both been my silent cheerleaders through every post, every typo, every rewrite. They are my invisible writing partners. 

Looking back

If I could talk to that little girl sitting in the classroom who would go home and cry into her pillow, the one who thought she was dumb because she couldn’t spell like everyone else, I’d tell her this:

You’re going to write for a living. People are going to read your words. You’re going to make them feel seen and inspired. And you’re going to do it all your way.

Dyslexia didn’t stop me; it shaped me. It made me creative, determined, and endlessly curious. I learn differently, but I learn fast. And honestly? I wouldn’t change that for the world. If, like me and Sarah, you are dyslexic, you are not alone, and you can do this as a career just like us. You are stronger, and your dyslexia doesn’t shape your path; only you can do that. We didn’t let our learning difficulty stop us from blogging, and neither should you. 

If You’re Struggling or Think You Might Have Dyslexia

If any of this sounds familiar, mixing up letters, struggling to read at speed, bloody subtitles, or feeling like you’re not keeping up, please know you’re not alone, and there’s nothing “wrong” with you.

Dyslexia affects around 1 in 10 people in the UK, and help is out there.
If you’re in the UK, you can reach out to:

• The British Dyslexia Association (BDA) – www.bdadyslexia.org.uk
• Dyslexia Scotland – www.dyslexiascotland.org.uk
• Your local education authority or GP if you want to explore an assessment.

Getting support can make a huge difference,  not just with reading or writing, but with confidence too. 

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