2 Months Update

Two Months of Unshackled

It’s been two months since Unshackled began. What started as a personal outlet has already grown into something far bigger… and deeply human.

We’re now at 385 subscribers… with 85 people joining in just the last week. That’s not just a number. That’s 85 new souls walking through the door.

Beyond the writing, something unexpected has been unfolding…

As many of you know, I’ve started developing a book… born from the conversations, reflections, and courage that have taken shape here on Unshackled. What I didn’t expect was how quickly it would ripple outwards.

The staff here caught wind of it, and before I knew it, excerpts were being shared in detention centres around the country as part of well-being and personal development initiatives. Then, this past Sunday, I was invited to deliver regular workshops based on its themes.

I’ve now run two sessions… diving into topics like how to find purpose in uncertain or high-pressure environments, and how to look after yourself so you can better show up for others.

None of this was in the plan. But maybe the best things never are.

So, for those of you who’ve just landed… welcome. You’ve stepped into a space where we talk about real stuff: pain, purpose, freedom, and the messy middle ground in between.

To help you catch up, here’s a little guided tour through the archive… a few pieces that’ll get you up to speed (had some trouble with the hyperlinks this week but you can cut and paste them into browser)

Big Boys Do Cry
A raw and vulnerable exploration of male emotional expression, accountability, and resilience. This one challenges the old scripts about masculinity and shares the cost of growth.
https://stephenkeating.substack.com/p/big-boys-do-cry

Detention by Decree (Parts 1 & 2)
An honest account of my experience in immigration detention. It captures the uncertainty, emotional toll, and bureaucratic limbo of waiting for decisions that never seem to come.
https://stephenkeating.substack.com/p/detention-by-decree-part-one

Adolescence
A reflection on the teenage years and a powerful little TV show of the same name. It's about the moments that shape identity and the echoes they leave.
https://stephenkeating.substack.com/p/adolescence

Unshackled
The piece that gave this newsletter its name. A call to break free from the mental and emotional shackles we all carry.
https://stephenkeating.substack.com/p/unshackled

Just Press Play
Diving deep into the Paradox of Choice
https://stephenkeating.substack.com/p/just-press-play

Relentless Resilience
A look at the quiet, daily decision to keep going. Not in some big heroic way, but in the ordinary, exhausting, sacred kind of way.
https://stephenkeating.substack.com/p/relentless-resilience-a-daily-decision

Planes, Pints and Christmas Miracles
A lighter one… a madcap travel story full of chaos, nostalgia, and heart. Think Home Alone with more Guinness.
https://stephenkeating.substack.com/p/planes-pints-and-christmas-miracles

We’ll Get Together Then
About reconnection after distance… the relationships we outgrow, and the ones we’re still trying to rebuild.
https://stephenkeating.substack.com/p/well-get-together-then

365 Days Dry
A celebration of a year alcohol-free. What clarity looks like, and what comes into focus when the fog lifts.
https://stephenkeating.substack.com/p/365-days-dry

Livin’ La Vida Limbo
A close-up of what waiting does to your spirit. This one’s raw… especially for anyone living in uncertainty.
https://stephenkeating.substack.com/p/livin-la-vida-limbo

Keep Things In Perspective
A zoomed-out view when life feels too big or too close. A reminder of what truly matters when it all starts to spin.
https://stephenkeating.substack.com/p/keep-things-in-perspective

This Sunday’s journal continues in that spirit… of growth, of uncomfortable truth, of learning to see again.

It’s called The Blessing and Burden of Seeing.

Because it is a burden to really see people. To take the time. To sit with their pain instead of skimming past it. But it’s also a blessing. The beginning of something braver.

Since landing on Substack, I’ve found myself slowly waking back up to others. Not just names on a screen, but the lives behind them. Stories of trauma, resilience, chronic illness, and relentless attitudes.

And it made me realise how easy it is to walk through life blind… not out of malice, just habit.

This week’s piece is about what happens when we choose to see. Properly. Even when it hurts.

Because once we start seeing each other clearly… not just for what we post, but for what we carry… we become part of the medicine.

Thank you for being here. Whether you’ve read one piece or all of them, your presence matters.

And if you’re new… don’t worry, you’re right on time.

Looking forward to sharing more with you Sunday!

Stay Unshackled My Friends