Is Healing Texts Really Free?
Healing Texts isn’t going anywhere. It’ll keep growing, changing, finding new ways to connect. Because it was never about money. It’s about showing up. For you. For us.
When I launched Healing Texts, the mission was straightforward. Daily encouragement with zero obstacles. Just connection.
But let’s be real. When people hear the word “free,” skepticism kicks in.
Is this legit? What’s the angle? How does it survive?
Fair questions. Ones that kept me up at night sometimes. I’d sit there, staring at the numbers growing. People signing up. Messages pouring in. Lives touched, hearts healed, one text at a time. It was beautiful. And it was overwhelming.
Then came the voice of doubt, cold and relentless.
How long can you keep this going? Costs don’t pay themselves. Energy isn’t infinite. You can’t pour from an empty cup.
I didn’t have answers. Just a determination to keep showing up, even when I felt stretched thin. Because I couldn’t stand the idea of leaving anyone stranded.
Keeping Healing Texts free wasn’t easy. I had to improvise, hustle, and stretch every dollar like it was my last. In the beginning, it was just me, my bi-weekly paycheck, and a refusal to quit. I skipped luxuries and pinched pennies to cover the bare minimum.
But it wasn’t sustainable. And I knew it.
Still, the flood of gratitude, the stories from subscribers, the sheer humanity of it all kept me going.
Late nights were my reality.
The faint glow of my laptop cutting through the darkness. Fingers tapping keys in rhythm. Words spilling out like they had somewhere urgent to be. Each message was a bridge, connecting me to someone who needed hope. And, in a way, it helped me find my own.
Realizing that relying solely on my own funds wasn’t sustainable, I knew something had to shift. The idea of limiting access to something so deeply needed didn’t sit right with me.
That’s when I stumbled upon Substack. A platform with possibilities.
It offered a way to archive past messages, connect with a global audience, and introduce a balanced subscription model. Free options for anyone who needs it, paid tiers for those who can help out. A win-win.
Substack keeps the heart of Healing Texts open to everyone.
The free tier stays, well, free.
Daily messages land in inboxes without a single barrier.
But for those who feel called to support this growing community, there’s a paid option. Paid subscriptions are the backbone of Healing Texts.
They keep the wheels turning. Funding the platform, covering operational costs, and giving me the bandwidth to pour more energy into writing messages that resonate.
They ensure that Healing Texts stays open to everyone. No matter their financial situation. Every paid subscription is a vote for sustainability. It means clearer focus, better tools, and the ability to expand without cutting corners.
If you have the means, and these words have helped you in some way, it would mean the world to me if you could chip in. It’s how we grow without leaving anyone behind.
Healing Texts is a promise. A way of connecting together a global community that thrives on support and belonging.
Whether you’re braving the chaos of New York, finding your footing in London, or chasing quiet in Tokyo, these messages are here. For you. Always.
When I look back, the choice to make Healing Texts free wasn’t some grand strategy. It was simple. Empathy in action. A response to the universal craving for connection.Keeping it free is non-negotiable. It’s the core of why this started. Breaking down walls, offering hope without strings.
Wherever you are, whatever you’re facing, these daily messages are a gentle nudge. A reminder that you’re seen, that you matter, that your light is still there. Ready to glow.
As I draft tomorrow’s message, it’s quiet, but not lonely, because I think of you.
I wonder where this will land. On a subway ride, in a small-town café, or maybe during one of those nights where sleep feels far away.
Wherever you are, know this, Healing Texts isn’t going anywhere. It’ll keep growing, changing, finding new ways to connect. Because it’s about showing up. For you. For us.
As I continue to evolve Healing Texts, I remain deeply grateful for every subscriber, every message, and every story shared. Your trust, your support, it’s the engine that keeps this going. Whether you’ve been here since day one or just stumbled across this little corner of hope, you matter.
Thank you for being part of this.
Learn More & Explore
About the Texts → Start here
About the Author → Meet Ryan
Buy Me a Coffee → Leave a Tip
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.