Below is a list of things to remember when facing fear.

I wrote this list a few hours before my family and I left the comfy confines of suburbia for the shuffling crowds, the endless concrete miles, and the overpriced orbit of Disney World. 

Yes, the cost of taking a family trip to Disney is outrageous. But apparently  money is replaceable. Memories–according to Hallmark cards and grandmothers–are not. Memories are priceless. And memories become memories the moment a moment passes. So you better pay attention.

And with that,  I’m not taking my computer to Disney. I will not be doing a lot of writing. If any. This was not an easy decision. I’ve been writing almost everyday for over 9 years and my computer has become like one of my children. I don’t know how not writing will go but as I pack my bags I keep thinking about how when Mrs. McCallister finally discovered she had left Kevin home alone. I imagine it will feel a little like that.

Nothing against writing, it’s just if my computer was present, I probably wouldn’t be.

I would be tempted to sit in the hotel room and write like some far-and-away Beatnik writer. And this trip for me is all about facing my fear of traveling, of being in an unfamiliar place, and learning how to be present. 

When we return to the comfy confines of suburbia, our Disney trip will simply be a collection of overpriced souvenirs and fond memories. Souvenirs I paid for. Memories that I desperately want to be a part of.

So as Fear(less) February comes to a mouse-eared head, I’m neatly packing this list in my suitcase like clean underwear. So when I am afraid of what horror the Happiest Place in the World presents me with– I can face my fear and participate in those memories. 

1.Fear is only an emotion. And you decide your emotions.  

2.Choose uncertainty over unhappiness every time.

3.Our heroic, everyday capacity to transcend our fear is stronger than fear itself.

4.A fearful life is an unpresent life.

5.The next time you’re feeling fear ask yourself, “Why?”

6.Fear is often caused by complicating things. When you’re feeling fearful– breathe and simplify things.

7.Look at everything you have overcome. Keep going.

8.Freedom is the result of conquering fear. 

9.Action is fear’s anecdote. 

10.Fear is just an insecure bully. If you stand up to fear it will back down.

11.No matter what happens, peace of mind is always the reward for facing fear. 

12.Each time you face fear, you gain a little more confidence to do it again the next time.

13.Facing fear is the easiest way to discover pride.

14.Sometimes a better life is simply 30 seconds of courage away.

Be well,

Jay

New Episode: One Line, One Love with Author Margaret O’Brien–Episode #7: Weather, Beauty, and Containers of Fun

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If you haven’t heard yet… my friend Gail Boenning and I recently launched a podblog called, One Line, One Love.

OLOL is a unique listening and reading experience that will inspire everyday writers, who dream of writing, to pick up their pens and write one line at a time.

This podblog format (a hybrid of a podcast and blog) is for everyday writers who–like me–often need a creative boost, a scrap of encouragement, and practical advice to unleash the writer within. Each episode consists of five wide-ranging, writer-focused questions and a weekly writing prompt.

Please check it out! And please share with any writer friends or anyone in your life who has ever considered picking up the pen.

Amazon Order Link!

Ordinary Hero is now available in hardback and available, upon request, in local bookstores or libraries, even if your local bookstore or library is in Peru.

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Warm greetings to everyone who found me on the University of Pennsylvania’s Ataxia Clinic’s website! Thanks for stopping by. I have ataxia and though I’m not a doctor, I hope my words comfort, encourage, empower, and serve as good company on your journey.

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February Book Promos for You:

Are looking for inspiration? Are you searching for a better version of yourself?

This month I joined literary forces with some best-selling authors in an awesome book promotions. Click the link below:

Valentine’s Month is for Books

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Jay Armstrong is a speaker and an award-winning author. Despite being diagnosed with a rare neurological disease, that impairs his movement, balance, eyesight, and speech–Jay presses on. The leader of the Philadelphia Ataxia Support Group, he hopes to help you find joy, peace, and meaning in life.