Finding My Third Place

When your working day or night is done, how do you reset? How do you press pause on your to-do list and come back to yourself? For many, this is the commute home, a walk after work, or even a nap. But many don’t get the opportunity to take a moment and remove their work hat to decompress. I was, and in some ways, still am, one of those people. I live in the small town of Brecon, Mid Wales. I work from home, and up until last year would more often than not, finish work and go straight into parenting mode. At the turn of the year, my life situation changed. My wife and I separated. We are more than civil and remain good friends, but the process was painful, and this year more than ever I need a space to process it all. Somewhere to find my new sense of being. I need a third place. I need somewhere that isn’t home or work, a local place where my loneliness doesn’t feel so bad, and where I can make new connections and friendships to improve my well-being. Salvation in Sweat Amid last year’s troubles, the gym was my salvation. When the pressure of trying to mend the cracks in my relationship with my wife became too much, it was a place where I could channel my energy. A place where I could build that feeling of worth through achievement. Exercise is proven to boost your mental health and while it could not give me the answers to stave off the impending failure in my marriage, it did help arrest my weakening self-esteem. Brecon Leisure Centre still holds a special place in my heart. The staff have supported me in my summer charity fundraiser, and have built a strong community vibe that keeps me coming back. Sean from the Brecon Leisure Centre team joins me on my five-hour stair master challenge A New One-Stop Shop But my favourite third place is The Foundry, a local bar, cafe, coworking space, and music venue. It’s given me a sense of identity, it’s helped me forge new friendships and it’s given me that place where I don’t have to worry about deadlines or nappies or wh...