The Held Journey
When life brings news
you weren’t expecting.
Morning emails and voice messages for someone facing difficult news. For when you don’t know what to say.
Morning emails and voice messages for when you’re facing difficult news. Company for the ordinary weeks.
Twelve weeks · Three emails a week · $79, one payment
30-day money-back guarantee from the start date No subscription No account needed
Three simple steps
A gift that stays.
Three mornings a week. Read whenever you like.
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Pay securely
One payment of $79. No account, no subscription.
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Make it personalMake it yours
After payment, add their name and email, write a personal message, and choose their start date. Your gift certificate is then ready to print.
After payment, add your name and email, and choose the Monday your journey begins.
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The journey begins
Three emails a week for twelve weeks, with voice messages and something meaningful to keep long after the journey ends.
Life doesn’t stop for difficult news
There may be appointments, phone calls and conversations nobody expected to have. But there’s still shopping to do, dinner to think about and an ordinary Tuesday to get through.
When someone is going through a difficult time, it’s hard to know what to say. Especially when some time has passed and everyone else seems to have moved on.
Held gives you a way to show someone you’re still thinking of them. With emails, voice messages and sometimes even something to smile about.
There may be appointments, phone calls and conversations you never expected to have. But there’s still shopping to do, dinner to think about and an ordinary Tuesday to get through.
After a while, people stop asking. Not because they don’t care, but because everyone else’s weeks carry on.
Held keeps you company through those ordinary days. With emails, voice messages and sometimes even something to smile about.
A look inside
Some days feel different. Even when nothing has changed.
That’s the subject of one of the emails from Held. A small observation about an ordinary day that might feel surprisingly familiar.
Read the email for yourself, or listen to a short excerpt from one of my voice messages.
From a voice message · 0:30
Want to see how it arrives? Send a sample to your inbox.
Nothing changed, but something did
Dear Sarah,
You can have two completely different days without anything in your circumstances having changed.
Same house. Same people. Same things to deal with.
Yet one day you manage quite well, and the next you’re irritated by the smallest thing. Even someone asking what you’d like for dinner can suddenly be one question too many.
And then, just as unexpectedly, you might find yourself enjoying a conversation or laughing at something ridiculous.
I find it interesting how little control we sometimes have over which sort of day it’s going to be.
Perhaps the best thing is not to expect every day to feel like the one before.
Warmly,
Personal experiences
The gift, in their words
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“I wasn’t sure what to expect when my sister sent this. Some emails made me laugh, which was the last thing I expected. Others didn’t really speak to me, and that was fine. I liked that I could just read them and get on with my day. The voice messages were my favorite part.”
Danielle · Texas
Recipient
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“I sent Held to a close friend after some difficult news. I live in another state and didn’t want to keep asking how he was doing. He mentioned one of the emails about a month later, which surprised me. It was good to know the gift was still arriving long after I’d sent it.”
Michael · Denver, Colorado
Gift giver
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“By the time I started Held, everyone already knew about my diagnosis. I was tired of talking about it. What I appreciated was that these emails weren’t always about being sick. Sometimes they were about completely ordinary things. I still have a few pages from the notebook.”
Rachel · Portland, Oregon
Recipient
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“I enjoyed most of it. A few of the questions in the notebook weren’t really for me, and I probably only filled out half the pages. But I looked forward to the Saturday emails. They felt a little different from the others. I’m glad I did it.”
Susan · Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Recipient
These reviews come from early readers and gift givers who received a journey from me free of charge, before launch.
What they receive
What’s included
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Thirty-six morning emails
Three a week for twelve weeks, followed by four more emails over the following year.
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Seven voice messages
Short messages in my voice, each with a written transcript.
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The Notebook & Permission Cards
Space for personal thoughts, plus twelve little cards to keep.
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The Memory Keeper
A printable keepsake to complete and hold on to.
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A start date that suits them
A start date that suits you
Start soon or months from now. You choose the Monday.
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A carefully chosen playlist
Twenty-four songs for the moments when music says more.
And for you
Their gift certificate
It arrives instantly, with their name, the start date and your message already on it. Print it or forward it today, even if the journey begins weeks from now.
30-day money-back guarantee from the start date No subscription No account needed
30-day money-back guarantee from the start date No subscription No account needed
Is this right for them?
Is this right for you?
Give this gift if
- They’ve received difficult news, whether recently or some time ago.
- You want to be there for them, even when you can’t be there in person.
- You’re not sure what to say, but you want them to know they haven’t been forgotten.
This might not be the right fit if
- They’re looking for medical advice, therapy or professional support. Held isn’t a substitute for these.
- They wouldn’t welcome emails at this time, even without any obligation to read or respond.
This is for you if
- You’ve received difficult news, whether recently or some time ago.
- The people around you have gone back to their own weeks, while yours still looks different.
- You’d like something in your inbox that isn’t an appointment, a bill or a to-do.
This isn’t for you if
- You’re looking for medical advice, therapy or professional support. Held isn’t a substitute for these.
- You wouldn’t welcome emails at this time, even without any obligation to read or respond.
A little about me
A little about me
Hi, I’m Martine.
I created a365gift because I believe some moments in life deserve more than a single day of attention.
I write every email myself, and the voice messages are in my own voice.
There’s more to my story, including Lizzie, my much-loved dog, and a dream I hope to make real one day.
A thoughtful gift for someone going through a difficult timeFor the weeks after difficult news
You can’t change what happened. But you can still be there.
You don’t have to go through these weeks on your own.
$79
$79 for twelve weeks, about the price of one flower delivery.$79 for twelve weeks, less than $7 a week.
Give this journey · $79 Start it for myself · $79
Created with care by Martine.
Wondering what they’ll receive?Would you like to read one first?
Get one complete email from the Held Journey, exactly as it would arrive in their inbox.Get one complete email from the Held Journey, exactly as you would receive it in your inbox.
I’ll also send you two short notes about what’s included and how it works. All within a couple of hours.
Just these three emails. No newsletter.
A few things you might be wondering
What if the news isn’t recent?
Held has three different beginnings, depending on whether the news is new, has been part of life for a while, or has been present much longer. After the first two weeks, everyone receives the same journey.
Does it have to be about an illness?
No. Held is written for life-changing news of any kind: a diagnosis, worrying news about someone they love, or something else that changes everyday life. The emails never ask what happened, and never assume.
Do I need to tell you what happened?
No. You’ll only be asked roughly how recent the news is, so the first emails meet them where they are. After that, the twelve weeks are the same for everyone.
Will they have to do anything?
No. They can read, listen, write in the Notebook or ignore an email entirely. There is no progress to track and nothing to complete.
What if the gift isn’t right for them?
You can ask for a full refund before the journey begins or within 30 days of its start date. Just email hello@a365gift.com. No forms and no explanation needed. See our Refund Policy.
Do I have to begin right after receiving the news?
No. Held has three different beginnings for different points in time. You can start when it suits you.
Does it have to be about an illness?
No. Held is written for life-changing news of any kind: a diagnosis, worrying news about someone you love, or something else that changes everyday life. You never have to explain what happened.
What if I don’t want to write in the Notebook?
That’s fine. You can simply read the emails or listen to the voice messages. The Notebook is optional.
Can I stop the emails?
Yes. Every email includes an unsubscribe link. You can stop at any time.
What happens after twelve weeks?
You’ll receive a Memory Keeper in the final week. After the journey, four more emails follow: the first two weeks after the final journey email, and three more over the following year.
What if it isn’t right for me?
You can ask for a full refund before your journey begins or within 30 days of its start date. Just email hello@a365gift.com. No forms and no explanation needed. See our Refund Policy.
Have another question?
See all frequently asked questions →
This is companionship, not therapy
These emails are intended for general emotional support and companionship only. They are not counseling, psychotherapy, medical or mental health treatment, or medical advice, and they are not a substitute for care from a qualified healthcare or mental health professional.
If what you’re going through is affecting your health, daily functioning, or safety, please seek appropriate professional help. If you are in the United States and you are in crisis or experiencing thoughts of suicide or self-harm, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.