At a Christmas party, between bites of ham and green bean casserole, after we talked about the weather, my aunt cleared her throat and asked, “Since no one in our family is or was a writer, how did I learn what it takes to be a writer?”

I put my fork down, chewed, and thought. 

I’ve been writing letters to you once a week for 8 1/2 years.

8 1/2 years ago I made a secret promise to myself that no matter what– I would write to you. Because writing to you was a way for me to feel strong and empowered. It was a way to feel in control of my life. And over 8 ½ years, you have told me how much my letters have helped you in moments of need. 

In Letter #52, of 2022 I wrote:

“In 2023, we will struggle. We will become discouraged. We will question and doubt ourselves. However, though we may hesitate at first, we will create momentum. We will roll forward. We will discover that we are more courageous than we previously thought. As winter submits to spring and as spring breaks for summer, we will think back to those times we struggled and take comfort in knowing we did something miraculous. We kept going.”

A few hours later, in Letter #1 of 2023 I wrote:

“… I have learned that we must lean into uncertainty. We must be flexible and fluid. We must realize the unknown is ripe with undiscovered opportunities. We need to accept our doubts and be comfortable to change.” 

And then I vividly remember, as I sent letter #1 of 2023, my heart falling through a trapdoor into my stomach as I swore to myself, “I can’t do this 51 more times.”

And then I did. 51 more times.

I recently confessed to a friend that— after 8 ½ years—every morning I still convince myself I can’t write. And will probably never write again. I tell myself I should give up, turn on the TV, and get really into The Weather Channel. I flirt with being lazy. With not revealing myself and being vulnerable. To be honest— it gets exhausting. And there are days I simply don’t want to do difficult things.

My letters to you began 8 1/2 years ago when I was at my lowest. When my life was out of control and ripe with uncertainty. When I was really into The Weather Channel. 

But then I wrote a word, then a second, then a third and before I knew it, the angst was gone. The fear was gone. The uncertainty was gone.  My actions silenced my thoughts. It felt good. I was at work. Stretching my imagination, curiosity, and fingers–doing the thing I thought I couldn’t do.

I wiped my lips with a red napkin decorated with green Christmas trees and looked at my aunt.

“My parents. Our family. They taught me to work hard even when I didn’t want to. And though no one in our family is a writer, they showed me that having the discipline to go to work everyday and do difficult things. Which is an unheralded accomplishment. I guess getting dirt under our fingernails is like a bath bomb for the soul.”

What I’ve learned on this 8 ½ year journey is simple: having the discipline to do difficult things is attainable by everyone. We can’t escape difficult things–and there will be plenty of those in 2024–but we can build our inner strength by knuckling up and going to work everyday. Because our effort is the one thing we control in our lives. Unlike the weather.

My difficult things are unique to me. And your difficult things to you. However, the quality of our lives hinges on our innate ability to show up to work, face our challenges, and do difficult things.

Here are 5 letters from 2023 that will help you do difficult things in 2024:

1.Letter #50 to You: A Campaign for Resiliency

2.Two Servings of Lifequakes and Seven Slices of Perspective

3.Step Into Your Story

4. Celebrate the Little Steps

5. My Favorite Thing About Humanity

Be well,

Jay

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.

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.

December 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:

Cozy Up with these Memoirs, Biographies, Self-Help books and More!

Purchase Jay’s Debut Book,”Bedtime Stories for the Living” Exclusively at Amazon!

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.