Author | Lightnews

Joe Armstrong @joethehuman.bsky.social · 1d

Ever frozen mid-speech—even when you knew every word?
My new Substack: When the Mind Goes Blank — how I went from childhood stage fright to speaking with calm and courage.
open.substack.com/pub/joearmst...
#PublicSpeaking #Anxiety #Resilience

When the Mind Goes Blank: From Stage Fright to Standing Tall

What stage fright taught me about fear, memory, and finding my voice again.

open.substack.com

Joe Armstrong @joethehuman.bsky.social · 8d

Meet the digger and the dog! A humorous tale of trust, toil, and unexpected inspiration. Read or listen to my latest Substack: open.substack.com/pub/joearmst...
#writing #trust #gardening #homeprojects #humour #reflection #toastmasters #lifeinireland #storytelling

Joe Armstrong @joethehuman.bsky.social · 16d

Another round with my old frenemy: my back!

From Paris to Wicklow to the gym, it’s a story of pain, humour, and gratitude.

Me and Me Back! — new free Substack post: open.substack.com/pub/joearmst...
#IrishHumour #HealingJourney #Gratitude #BackPain

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Joe Armstrong @joethehuman.bsky.social · 22d

Disillusionment is losing our illusions. Disappointment is losing our false appointments with ourselves.

But maybe “good enough” is the quiet grace left behind.

Read my new Substack here:
open.substack.com/pub/joearmst...
#Reflections #Parenting #Disappointment #Imperfection

From Illusion to Disappointment: Learning to Live Without Perfection

On losing our illusions, sacking ourselves as perfect parents, and hoping for “good enough”

open.substack.com

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Joe Armstrong @joethehuman.bsky.social · Sep 21

Some dates never leave us. Some lessons fade too quickly.
This Substack is about memory, faith and doubt, and the choices that shape our future — inspired by fathers, history, and the fleeting nature of life.
open.substack.com/pub/joearmst...

Fathers, faith, and fleeting lives

Chance, choice, and the futures we create

open.substack.com

Joe Armstrong @joethehuman.bsky.social · Sep 12

Why do anything? From air and water to love, belonging, and self-actualisation, our lives are a constant balancing act of needs. In my latest Substack, I explore Maslow’s hierarchy and how it plays out in daily life, relationships, and choices.
open.substack.com/pub/joearmst...
#Motivation #Purpose

Why Do Anything?

From Maslow’s pyramid to Johnny Cash’s ‘empire of dirt’

open.substack.com

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Joe Armstrong @joethehuman.bsky.social · Sep 3

Bob Rees was many things: sailor, engineer, critic of religion, jazz lover — and above all, a humanist who lived his values. I’ve written a reflection on his life and humanism. Free to read. #Humanism #BobRees #SecularHumanism #HAI
open.substack.com/pub/joearmst...

Closer to God in a Storm at Sea

Reflections on the life and humanism of Bob Rees (12 June 1936 — 5 August 2025)

open.substack.com

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Joe Armstrong @joethehuman.bsky.social · Aug 29

I write about the intoxicating power of laughter, the genius of Michael McIntyre, and Flann O'Brien.
#writerslife #Laughter #Comedy #Comedian #Toastmasters #PublicSpeaking #MichaelMcIntyre #FlannOBrien #AtSwimTwoBirds #Seminary #Funny #Humour #Humor #MichaelMcIntyre
open.substack.com/pub/joearmst...

A Substack in Search of a Smile

Finding Laughter on the Page

open.substack.com

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Joe Armstrong @joethehuman.bsky.social · Aug 23

Two days after my cousin’s funeral, another relative was in ICU. By week’s end, we’d faced grief, relief, and even a £1,500 car hire bill. Life is fragile. Here’s what it taught me…
open.substack.com/pub/joearmst...

Hope and Despair in One Week: What a Family Emergency Taught Me

How grief, an unexpected hospital dash, and even a car rental dispute reminded me that hope and darkness walk side by side.

open.substack.com

Joe Armstrong @joethehuman.bsky.social · Aug 14

Death will come. Sometimes it gives warning; sometimes it doesn’t.

7 lessons I’ve learned about living before dying:
open.substack.com/pub/joearmst...

Seven Things Life Has Taught Me (So Far)

How to Live a Happy Life

open.substack.com

Joe Armstrong @joethehuman.bsky.social · Aug 6

Woke at 4am, brain in catastrophe mode.
Skulls, death dates, fear, injustice…and hope!
New Substack: Now Is a Good Now
Thoughts on mortality, messiness, and the daily rituals that help us hold it all.
open.substack.com/pub/joearmst...
#writing #mortality #journalpractice #reflection #hope #substack

At 4am, the Mind Roars

Catastrophic Thinking Tamed

open.substack.com

Joe Armstrong @joethehuman.bsky.social · Jul 16

Midnight mattress visitors, Mourne views, and a farewell to a dear friend — all in a day. Our maiden campervan voyage took a few unexpected turns…
Have a read, and let me know if you’ve had your own midnight visitors!
open.substack.com/pub/joearmst...

Maiden Voyage, Midnight Visitors, and Mourning a Friend

A weekend of firsts, nerves, and a special farewell

open.substack.com

Joe Armstrong @joethehuman.bsky.social · Jul 4

Chainsaws, Campers, and Comrades — my latest Substack is live.
Up at 4am sawing trees, saying goodbye to our beloved caravan, and raising a glass to a dear friend and songwriting partner, Robin Lawley. A week of shredded branches and shredded emotions.
open.substack.com/pub/joearmst...

Chainsaws, Campers, and Comrades

A dawn chorus of sweat, sawdust, and songs for lost friends

open.substack.com

Joe Armstrong @joethehuman.bsky.social · Jun 12

🚴‍♂️✂️🌀 From cycling and gardening to pottery and exams—progress matters more than perfection.
Small steps, not flawless leaps, move us forward. Process — Not Perfection. Imperfection rocks!
#ProgressNotPerfection #Substack #PersonalGrowth #ImperfectlyForward
open.substack.com/pub/joearmst...

Process — Not Perfection

Why stepping forward—imperfectly—is better than standing still

open.substack.com

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Joe Armstrong @joethehuman.bsky.social · Jun 6

God spelled backwards is... 🐶
This week on the blog: hare chases, songwriting breakthroughs, dead rooks (yes, really), and the joyful mischief of my dog, Paddy.
#DogLife #BorderCollie #SongwritingInspiration #NatureMoments #SubstackWriters #MindfulnessWithADog
open.substack.com/pub/joearmst...

God Spelled Backwards

How a Border Collie, a Hare, and a Dead Rook Remind Me to Play, Create, and Listen

open.substack.com

Joe Armstrong @joethehuman.bsky.social · May 30

Just back from Tuscany—with COVID in my lungs and rooks in my trees.
Now isolated, feverish, and going slightly mad from the noise.
open.substack.com/pub/joearmst...

Caws and COVID

How I returned from Tuscany to viral fog, sticky eyes—and a rook invasion

open.substack.com

Joe Armstrong @joethehuman.bsky.social · May 16

This week I hit the red zone—literally and emotionally.
A spiking heart rate, a missing music score, and a crash course in MuseScore4... not quite the life I imagined!
#BeginAgain #HeartHealth #NeverTooLate #Cycling #SongwritingLife
open.substack.com/pub/joearmst...

Feeling Blue, Learning Anew

Begin Again

open.substack.com

Joe Armstrong @joethehuman.bsky.social · May 9

📣 New on Substack: "My Seventh Pope"
From the hope of 'Good Pope John' to the election of Pope Leo XIV, I've witnessed the Catholic Church's evolution firsthand. In my latest piece, I reflect on the transformations, challenges, and hopes of seven popes.
#PopeLeoXIV
open.substack.com/pub/joearmst...

My Seventh Pope

A personal journey through papacies and hope: from 'Good Pope John' to Pope Leo

open.substack.com

Joe Armstrong @joethehuman.bsky.social · May 2

What do you need to create? Go do it! I left three careers because I needed to write.
This week’s Substack is about creativity, courage, and choosing a life that’s truly your own.
If you’ve ever felt the pull to live more honestly, this one's for you.
#WritingLife open.substack.com/pub/joearmst...

The Need to Create

Artists, Musicians & Writers Answer an Inner Call

open.substack.com

Joe Armstrong @joethehuman.bsky.social · Apr 25

As Pope Francis lies in state, I found myself reflecting on kindness in a world of cruelty, beauty amid the noise, and the small graces that still sustain us—friendship, music, and the courage to hope.
#PopeFrancis #Gratitude #HopeInHardTimes #Ukraine #Trump #Putin
open.substack.com/pub/joearmst...

Kindness in a World of Strife

On gratitude, beauty, and keeping faith with humanity—even as darkness gathers

open.substack.com

Joe Armstrong @joethehuman.bsky.social · Apr 16

The Gospel According to JD Vance – the inversion of the Gospel of Luke. Check out my new Substack.
#JDVance
#PoliticsAndReligion
#GoodSamaritan
open.substack.com/pub/joearmst...

Joe Armstrong @joethehuman.bsky.social · Apr 11

Would you like to join a new online dreamwork group? In this week's Substack, I share how dream sharing worked in a group I was part of in the UK, and why I'd love to start something similar online. Check out my new post!
#Dreamwork #Substack #ExploreYourDreams
open.substack.com/pub/joearmst...

Would you like to join a new online dreamwork group?

Nighttime dreams can offer solutions to daytime problems.

open.substack.com

Joe Armstrong @joethehuman.bsky.social · Apr 4

If this was your last day, how would you spend it? In my latest Substack, I explore what happens when we tune out the noise.
#IfThisWereMyLastDay #Gratitude #Birdsong #IrishCountryside #MindfulMoments #SubstackWriters #Reflection #LifeAndDeath #WritingLife
open.substack.com/pub/joearmst...

If This Was My Last Day

What if time ran out today?

open.substack.com

Joe Armstrong @joethehuman.bsky.social · Mar 28

Imagining peace and a friend's disappearance
open.substack.com/pub/joearmst...

A Song for Peace, A Wish for Healing

When Music and Friendship Transcend Borders and Hardships

open.substack.com

Joe Armstrong @joethehuman.bsky.social · Mar 21

What #Trump and #Putin could learn from heart patients and from their own nighttime dreams rather than dreaming of world domination. Plus a great new song by Robin Lawley: Dark!
#Trump #Putin #dreamwork #hearthealth #toastmasters #songwriting
open.substack.com/pub/joearmst...

A Week in the Life

Reflections on Dreams, Health, and a World in Turmoil

open.substack.com