Not using periods

I've gotten into the habit lately of not using periods at the end of a text. I might say, "Let me know what you think of the article. It's sort of long" then send it, not thinking I'm being negligent by omitting the period. It's like I want to keep it casual and soften the end. If I include a period, it would sound final, abrupt, closed. 

I didn't know this was a thing until I saw some articles about it. This one says that people get upset when they receive texts with periods. That's not true with me. I don't care if other people use periods, but I care if I do. If the person is not a native English speaker, I use periods to signal that my sentence is done. But with native speakers, I want to soften my speech. 

There have even been academic studies about periods, and the resulting suggestion is that you shouldn't use them: "if you want to ensure that your messages are received and understood with the level of sincerity you intend, leave the period off the final sentence." Researchers found out that "text message responses to questions that ended with a period were perceived as less sincere than those that did not." Other researchers "observed that the period has taken on a particular pragmatic and social meaning in texting because its use is optional in this form of communication."

I had no idea it's a deep issue; I just started doing it, just because.

Someone told me she uses emojis instead of periods. That's a good option and fun, and even creative. I'm pro-emoji; I like trying to figure out which emoji I should use, and express my emotions when my words may seem flat.

p.s. the e-book version of my debut novel is still at Amazon, and the price for the print version has been reduced: buy at the Eckhartz Press site.