Hooking Up With Substack
It became clear that I needed a better way to reach everyone. To allow someone in Australia, Asia, Europe, or anywhere else to receive daily insights without worrying about carrier restrictions.
The first time I hit “Send,” my chest tightened.
That tiny click felt huge. It was like tossing a message into the unknown and hoping it found a home. I was sitting in my car, the hum of passing vehicles in the distance blended with my nervous energy. I stared at my phone, heartbeat loud in my ears.
Would anyone even care?
The text was simple…
“Even in our darkest hours, there’s a light that shines within. All we need is to find it.”
Just a small truth, hard-earned and aching to be shared.
Then I waited.
A few hours passed. Responses trickled in, slow at first, like the start of rain.
“Thanks. I needed this.”
“You have no idea what this did for me today.”
Each message stopped me in my tracks.
Was it… Relief? Pride? I don’t even know.
But the weight of those words, knowing they landed with someone, warmed me from the inside out. It was wild how something seemingly so small could hit so deep.
And it quickly grew.
What started as me typing into the void became a spark. Strangers became a community, pulling each other out of bad days and dark moments.
Chaos didn’t feel so loud when hope cut through it.
A little text, a little courage—and suddenly, we weren’t alone anymore.
Reflections After Three Years
Three years later. Hundreds of texts sent.
Tiny bursts of advice, reflections, and soft reassurances sent out into the ether. Some landed in the middle of someone’s heartbreak. Others brushed against the sharp edges of daily stress.
And the stories that came back touched my heart.
One person messaged after a breakup so bad it left her questioning everything. My words, she said, gave her just enough hope to believe in tomorrow.
Another clung to a single line for weeks…
“If you can take one brave step forward today, do it.”
She told me later that text gave her the guts to face a fear she’d been running from for years. And a few others…
They celebrated wins so quiet they’d be easy to miss. Like dragging themselves out of bed when every fiber of their being is telling them to just stay under the covers.
Little words. Big ripples.
But no matter how heartwarming these exchanges were, two things always gnawed at me:
Limited Availability:
Every time someone outside the U.S. or Canada reached out, asking to join, my stomach sank. “I’m sorry, my platform doesn’t support your region.” That line tasted like failure every time. Their messages, some from halfway around the globe, sat in my inbox like open doors I couldn’t walk through. They deserved more than a shrug and an apology.No Archived Messages:
Every day I’d write a text, pour my heart into a sentence or two, and hit Send. And then—poof—it was gone. If you missed it, it would get lost in the shuffle, almost like it didn’t exist anymore. I saved some of these writings on my computer, but there was never a cohesive archive. Whenever I would look for a past message I had sent, I’d scramble to dig it up, unsure if I’d even find it.
Why Substack?
It became clear that I needed a better way to reach everyone—to allow someone in Australia, Asia, Europe, or anywhere else to receive daily insights without worrying about carrier restrictions.
And I needed a place where past texts wouldn’t vanish into thin air.
Enter Substack.
Imagine a virtual library where every text, every heartfelt reflection, is neatly stored for you to revisit whenever you please. Whether it’s 2:00 a.m. and you can’t sleep, or you’re drinking your morning coffee looking for a gentle nudge.
That’s what Substack offers.
Not only can I post my daily messages, but I can also expand on them with deeper context, personal stories, and even discussions that go beyond the brief lines my texts allow.
A More Inclusive Community
I can’t even explain how hyped I am about this.
Finally, finally, finally!
Folks outside North America get to join in. No more awkward disclaimers.
No more “Sorry, but…”
It doesn’t matter if you’re in New York, Nairobi, or New Delhi.
You’re in. Period.
I’ve always believed we grow by learning from each other.
Our highs, our lows, and every messy middle.
And now?
Now, it feels like the walls are coming down. The world doesn’t seem so disconnected when someone halfway across it says, “Hey, me too.”
And with the archives, we won’t lose texts anymore.
If you want to revisit a post about heartbreak or healing or the simple joys in life, it’ll be there, ready and waiting for you. Think of it like a cozy reading nook you can duck into at any time.
A space on the internet just for us.
Where We Go From Here
The day I chose Substack, I sat with my phone, scrolling through messages from readers. They were filled with heartbreak. Resilience. Triumph. And, yeah, despair.
Each story carried something fragile yet fierce. A glimmer of hope, some barely there, others burning bright.
That’s what I wanted to hold onto. That’s what I needed to share.
Now, I get to bring you closer.
A Thank You, and an Invitation
To everyone who’s been part of this wild, three-year ride…
Thank you.
No, seriously…
Thank you.
Your stories, your struggles, your good days, and your absolute train wrecks have built this space. Without you, these texts would just be words, untethered and meaningless.
You made them matter.
And for anyone new or just quietly waiting for the right moment to jump in…
Here it is.
Wherever you’re from Canada, the U.K., Brazil, or some island I’ve never heard of before… you’re in. So pull up a chair and stay awhile.
I’ve always said these texts aren’t just strings of words.
They’re bridges.
They connect us, remind us, ground us.
And now, with Substack, we’re laying down stronger foundations. A bridge that stretches farther, that says, “You’re not alone,” no matter where you’re standing.
So here’s to what’s next.
Healing. Growing. Archiving.
Making space for more stories, more voices, more shared moments of hope and grit.
Let’s see how far we can go when the doors swing wide open.
Learn More & Explore
About the Texts → Start here
About the Author → Meet Ryan
Top Posts in the Archives → Catch up
Beyond Healing Texts
Some people want to stay with the messages as they are. Others want a way to carry the work a little further, off the phone and into daily life. If that’s you, there are a few options available.
Books — Wood Island Books gathers the posts that resonated most with readers and puts them into books for people who want to spend more time with the writing.
Journals — Designed for reflection and integration, these journals offer space to write through the thoughts that don’t surface easily, with prompts meant to support honesty rather than performance.
Merchandise — Hoodies, shirts, and journals created as simple reminders to keep going. Practical pieces meant to carry the tone of this work into everyday life.
I also write in two longer form newsletters that explore different sides of this work.
Healing Thoughts — A reflective newsletter focused on steadiness, regulation, and everyday healing, with writing meant to slow things down and name what often goes unnoticed.
Shadow Thoughts — A darker companion newsletter that explores anger, grief, identity, and the parts of healing that don’t fit neatly into optimism.
There’s no expectation to follow everything.
These are simply options, available when you want to take the work off the screen and into your hands, your routines, or your inner life.