‘Tis supposedly the season for thanks, love, reflection, and champagne — so why are we just feeling stressed? Between planning a Thanksgiving dinner that accommodates every family member's dietary restrictions (grain-free stuffing anyone?), finding the perfect gift for your already-has-everything sister-in-law, and wrapping up deadlines at work before the holidays, it can be really easy to feel more anxious and resentful than thankful.
But, as if the universe were trying to give us a sign that we should take a moment and just breathe, an email about a new well-being app just popped into our inbox. The app, Karmic, is “is there to inspire, prompt, and remind users to be mindful of oneself and show kindness to those they encounter during their day, everyday.” A few big names have signed on as collaborators, but we were a bit skeptical about the usefulness of the app. After all, we still feel kind of awkward at yoga when the teacher asks us to “OM” together, we fell asleep the last time we tried to meditate, and our Pinterest board has more pretty pictures than feel-good quotes — so will a karmic "challenge" stick enough to make a difference?
It turned out to be easier than we'd thought. The Karmic app challenges you to do one simple good deed per day. You can tell someone you love them, pick up a piece of trash, or just “be nice, be nice, be nice.” Complete the task, score a few points, and watch your "aura" grow more vibrant. Mixed in with these kindness prompts are inspiring quotes and a basic meditation setting (enchanting music and a timer — no guided sequences).
The app isn't life-changing, but gamifying generous gestures is a fun approach to something that can be easy to forget during the daily grind. More importantly, it's simple and doesn’t create a burden on our already busy days. We can't say we're less stressed because of this app, but we feel a little better. And, to be honest, we love the inspiring quote selection — reading them is part of our morning ritual now. It seems that taking a quick moment to reflect is good karma for all.