Overview

Self love begins with the dialogue we have with ourselves. It's the foundation upon which we build our self-esteem, confidence, and overall well-being. Yet, for many, cultivating this inner voice of kindness and understanding is a challenge, overshadowed by criticism and doubt. This project aims to bridge this gap, guiding individuals on a transformative journey towards nurturing self love in the absence of it.

Imagine talking to a friend. You'd likely use kind words, especially if they were feeling down. Now, think about how you talk to yourself. Is it with the same kindness, or are you harder on yourself? The truth is, the way we talk to ourselves matters a lot. It's the very first step towards loving ourselves.

Starting to change this conversation is the first step toward self-love. It's about noticing when we're being too hard on ourselves and gently steering those thoughts in a kinder direction. Just like any skill, it takes practice. But over time, it becomes easier, and before we know it, we've created a healthier, happier mind.

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Bringing the design to life

Self-love? It starts right at home, right in the heart of our own conversations. What kind of chats are you having with yourself when it's just you and your thoughts? Designing in those quiet, introspective moments is where I find a unique kind of magic. We haveall been there, in those stretches of time where we could have been kinder to ourselves. For some people, they have a solid circle of family or friends or maybe some outside help to help show the way to keep that inner talk positive and supportive. But, not everyone has someone in their life to help them build a stronger self-love habits.

This design is for those who do not know how to change the conversation with yourself, designed by someone who has been exactly where you are - in the absence of self love.

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Final Design: Selftone Postcards

SelfTone postcards are designed to intercept negative self-talk by providing a structured yet simple way to replace harsh inner dialogues with supportive and positive interactions. Each card prompts an action that nurtures self-compassion and mindfulness, gradually transforming how individuals perceive and speak to themselves. Over time, these small, consistent practices cultivate a healthier, more affirming conversation within, essential for improving self-esteem and personal well-being.

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Step 1: Recognize when you're being overly critical of yourself.

Step 2: Select a Selftone postcard the moment you recognise.

Step 3: Engage in the activity on the card.

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Download postcards here.

Key Insights

The key insights and archetypes derived from interviews with diverse individuals provide a rich foundation for understanding the various pathways to cultivating self-love. These insights reveal the complex interplay between individual experiences, societal pressures, and internal dialogues that shape one's relationship with self-love.

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Universal Challenge: Regardless of background, many individuals struggle with cultivating self-love, often due to external pressures or internal critical voices.

Cultural Influence: Societal and cultural norms significantly impact one's ability to prioritize self-love, with many feeling selfish for focusing on their own well-being.

Self-Neglect: A common theme among participants is the tendency to prioritise others' needs over their own, leading to neglect of self-care and self-love.

Awareness and Action Gap: While many understand the importance of self-love theoretically, translating this awareness into action remains a challenge.

Desire for Balance: There's a strong desire to find a balance between fulfilling responsibilities and practicing self-love, indicating a need for practical, accessible strategies.

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Take my Self Love Archetype Quiz: https://ivlv.me/mcGUH

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Design Hypothesis

Our design prototype  introduces structured yet flexible frameworks designed to encourage positive self-dialogue and self-care practices. By methodically integrating daily self-care tasks and mindfulness practices into an individual's routine, the project not only aims to change the nature of self-dialogue from negative to positive but also establishes a sustainable practice of self-love.

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Purpose

Our mission is to empower individuals to recognise their worth and cultivate a compassionate relationship with themselves. By addressing the roots of self-critical thoughts and behaviors, this project provides tools and strategies for fostering self-acceptance, resilience, and ultimately, a profound sense of self love.

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One cannot delve into the realm of self-love without encountering the profound absence of another love, at some juncture along life's intricate journey.

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Archetypes of Absence of Love

1. The Self-Love Embodier: This archetype represents individuals who have successfully integrated self-love into their daily lives. They practice self-care regularly, maintain healthy boundaries, and engage in positive self-talk. They understand their worth, embrace their imperfections, and prioritize their well-being, all while maintaining compassion and empathy for others. For them, self-love is not just an occasional act but a way of living.
2. The Caregiver: This archetype is characterised by a tendency to prioritise the well-being of others above their own, often at the expense of their self-care. They derive satisfaction from helping others but struggle to extend the same compassion to themselves. The journey to self-love for caregivers involves recognizing the value of self-care and finding a balance that allows them to nurture both themselves and those they care for.
3. The Time-Strapped Seeker: Individuals fitting this archetype are overwhelmed by their responsibilities, feeling they have no time to dedicate to self-love practices. They seek efficient ways to incorporate self-care into their busy schedules, understanding that small, consistent acts can significantly impact their well-being.
4. The Cultural Conformist: This archetype feels pressured by societal and cultural expectations to place others' needs and desires above their own. They fear being perceived as selfish for focusing on self-care. Embracing self-love for them means challenging these norms and recognizing that caring for oneself is not an act of selfishness but a necessity for health and happiness.
5. The Self-Reflective Questioner: Characterized by introspection and self-awareness, these individuals constantly evaluate their self-love practices and often experience self-doubt. Their journey involves a deep dive into self-discovery, aiming to understand and nurture their self-love, leading to greater clarity and acceptance.
6. The Negative Self-Talker: This archetype is prone to self-deprecation and engaging in negative internal dialogues. They struggle with harsh self-criticism that undermines their self-esteem and ability to love themselves. Transforming this internal dialogue into a more positive and nurturing one is crucial for their journey towards self-love.

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Designs for changing the conversation within ourselves - Mind Mirror

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Mind Mirror is like that always-there-for-you friend dedicated to helping you build better self-habits. It's not just any app; it's your go-to for a daily dose of self-care, tuned into how you're feeling and what you need most at any moment.

Every day, Mind Mirror checks in, just like a friend would, asking, "How's it going?" But here's the cool part—it listens to not just what you say but how you say it. Thanks to some smart AI, it picks up on the little things in your voice, like your tone, the words you choose, and how you put them together, to get a real sense of where you're at emotionally.

From there, it crafts this daily self-care mission just for you. It could be anything from a nudge to take a few minutes for some mindfulness breathing, a reminder to jot down what you're grateful for, or even a suggestion to do something that makes you feel good about yourself. The aim here is simple: to support you in feeling more balanced and positive.

And because we all know how crazy life gets, Mind Mirror puts this mission right into your calendar. So, before you go to bed, you've got a blocked outtime to focus on you. It's like having that friend who not only listens but also helps you take those small, important steps towards taking better care of yourself.

Mind Mirror—a friend in your pocket, looking out for your well-being every day, making it a bit easier to be kinder to yourself and build those positive habits.

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APP Deep Dive

Mind Mirror: A Reflective Audio Journal for Daily Self-Care

Mind Mirror is designed as an innovative audio journal that focuses on enhancing personal well-being through daily self-care missions. This app serves as a personal wellness assistant, engaging users in reflective conversations about their emotional state at various times throughout the day. By leveraging advanced AI analysis, Mind Mirror delves deep into the nuances of the user's voice, including tonality, syntax, and the content of their responses, to tailor one specific self-care activity each day.

How It Works in 4 steps

1. Mind Mirror initiates check-ins at predetermined intervals during the day, inviting users to share their feelings and thoughts through voice recordings. These moments for reflection are designed to capture a comprehensive picture of the user's emotional landscape at different points, offering insights into their overall well-being.
2. The core of Mind Mirror's functionality lies in its sophisticated AI, which analyzes the audio input for emotional cues. By examining the user's tonality, the structure of their sentences, and the specific words they use, the AI gains an understanding of their current emotional state and needs.
3. Based on the AI's analysis, Mind Mirror generates a personalized self-care mission tailored to the user's emotional needs. This mission is designed to encourage practices that promote mental wellness, self-compassion, and emotional resilience. Whether it's a prompt for mindfulness meditation, a gentle reminder to practice gratitude, or an activity to foster self-appreciation, each mission aims to support the user's journey towards a more balanced and positive state of mind.
4. Once the daily mission is determined, it is automatically scheduled on the user's calendar as a dedicated time slot for self-care before bedtime. This integration ensures that users can seamlessly incorporate the self-care activity into their daily routine, setting aside intentional time for their well-being.

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Next Steps

1. Build low-fidelity prototype
2. Test with user group
3. Repeat