#Well-being

The "Hands Off!" protests, initiated on April 5, 2025, represented a significant nationwide mobilization against policies enacted by President Donald Trump and his administration. Organized by a coalition of over 150 groups, the movement drew millions of Americans across over 1,400 locations nationwide, spanning all 50 states.

Left's Arguments

• Mass Layoffs and Agency Closures: Under Musk's and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), approximately 216,000 federal jobs were terminated across major departments. Raising concerns about the dismantling of essential public services. ​(Business Insider)
• Conflicts of Interest and Private Enterprises: House Democrats initiated an investigation into potential conflicts of interest involving Musk and NASA. Concerns centered on Musk's dual role within the federal government and his business ties through SpaceX, which secured over $15 billion in NASA funding. (Axios)
• Use of AI for Surveillance: DOGE employed AI to monitor federal agencies for sentiments perceived as hostile to the administration's policies. (Reuters)

Right's Arguments

• Efficiency and Cost Savings: Musk's initiatives aimed to eliminate wasteful government spending. DOGE claimed to have achieved significant budgetary savings by terminating over 16,000 grants and contracts (Business Insider)
• Government Modernization: The administration posited that restructuring efforts were designed to modernize government operations, making them more efficient and responsive. Musk emphasized the need to "weed out corruption" and implement systems to enforce accountability. (Dallas Weekly)

Assessment

While the administration's objectives centered on efficiency and modernization, the methods employed (large-scale layoffs, potential conflicts of interest, and surveillance practices) raised concerns about transparency, democratic integrity, and the equitable distribution of power. 

The evidence suggests that the protesters' apprehensions regarding the consolidation of influence among wealthy individuals and the potential undermining of democratic institutions were well-founded. 

Therefore, the arguments presented by the protesters appear to be more substantiated when considering the available data.​ (GeoPolicalEconomy, Brookings, FedScoop, Time, NPR, PBS)

True happiness comes from nurturing our mental and emotional well-being through intrinsic practices rather than relying on external achievements like wealth or career milestones that only provide temporary boosts of happiness. Social connections provide emotional support and a sense of belonging, while gratitude and acts of kindness foster purpose and reduce negative emotions.

By engaging in meaningful activities that align with personal values and practicing mindfulness to stay present, we can build lasting fulfillment. Taking care of our physical health with regular exercise, proper sleep, and a balanced diet further strengthens our emotional resilience, creating a solid foundation for a happier life.

Learn More at Yale University

Hedonic adaptation refers to our tendency to quickly return to a relatively stable level of happiness despite major positive or negative events. Essentially, even after exciting changes or achievements, our satisfaction tends to level off over time.

To overcome this, it's important to incorporate strategies like practicing gratitude, seeking out new experiences, and setting fresh goals to continually engage and challenge ourselves. By focusing on mindfulness and intentional living, we can slow down adaptation and maintain a deeper sense of contentment.

Learn More at Psychology Today

We often misjudge happiness because we overestimate the long term emotional impact of both positive and negative events and we compare ourselves to the idealized lives presented on social media. We assume that achieving a promotion, buying a new car, or finding the perfect relationship will bring lasting joy. In reality, our emotions quickly return to a baseline state as we adjust to new circumstances. Evolutionary instincts and cultural norms encourage us to seek status and material rewards even though these pursuits rarely lead to lasting fulfillment once our basic needs are met.

Understanding this gap between expectation and reality is essential for building a more satisfying life. Instead of chasing fleeting rewards, research shows that practices such as gratitude, mindfulness, and investing in meaningful relationships have a much greater impact on long lasting happiness. By shifting our focus from external achievements to intrinsic values, we can break free from the cycle of endless comparison and develop a deeper sense of well being.

Learn More at Yale University

Tribalism is rooted in our evolutionary past, where group cohesion was essential for survival. Early humans relied on tight-knit groups for protection, shared resources, and collective problem solving. Loyalty ensured mutual support and increased the chances of survival, while the "us versus them" mindset served as an adaptive tool for recognizing potential threats from outsiders.

In modern times, the same instincts often lead to political polarization, cultural conflicts, online echo chambers, and stereotyping. Excessive group loyalty can hinder critical thinking and empathy, resulting in scapegoating and demonizing those outside one's circle. Overcoming these challenges requires fostering empathy, focusing on shared goals, encouraging critical thinking, and promoting inclusive narratives that bridge divides and nurture mutual respect.

Learn More at Segal, E. (2019). When Tribalism Goes Bad.

Wick is a mobile app designed to make the journey of improving well-being a comforting and enjoyable adventure.

• Achieved a 100% user approval rating
• Identified and capitalized on a niche with little to no competition

Challenges

Learning and applying the science of well-being is often a time-consuming and confusing process. Users must absorb complex subject matter and track multiple goals, which can feel overwhelming and discouraging. Existing solutions lacked engaging methods to teach well-being science while motivating users to take actionable steps.

My Approach

To address these challenges, we conducted a comprehensive SWOT analysis of 25 competing apps in the health and wellness space. This analysis highlighted gaps in gamification and the repetitive interactions that users found disengaging.

To better understand our audience, we conducted phone interviews, collecting both quantitative and qualitative data, such as current app usage, likes and dislikes, and interest in our mission. Using these insights, we created user personas representing adults aged 19–40 at various stages of their well-being journeys.

User Interview Results

User Testing Script

We also conducted card sorting and ideation sessions to determine the app’s core features and user flows.

Mood-boarding exercises established the app's visual tone, while whiteboarding sessions helped us design workflows and wireframes that catered to all personas. These efforts guided branding decisions, ensuring Wick would feel like a supportive companion on the well-being journey, incorporating nature-inspired aesthetics and a comforting fire motif into its logo and design system.

Style Guide

Solutions

Our design process started with wireframes based on whiteboard designs, followed by the development of a lo-fi prototype to test the app's core features.

User feedback revealed valuable insights, including pain points and opportunities for improvement, which were addressed in the hi-fi prototype. The hi-fi design incorporated all user states identified during testing and brought the app’s visual language to life. The app’s journey-based format, combined with gamified tasks, resonated strongly with users during testing.

Wick's gamified structure rewarded users for completing tasks, with rewards weighted based on task difficulty to encourage progression. Points, badges, and other elements fostered a sense of achievement while breaking down complex well-being science into manageable steps. The app’s empathetic tone and adventure-inspired visual language created a welcoming and motivating user experience.

Key Takeaways

Wick successfully transformed the complex science of well-being into a digestible, gamified experience that users loved. By combining user-centric design with gamification and empathetic communication, the app stands out in the crowded wellness space. With a 100% approval rating, Wick proved to be an engaging, supportive tool for improving well-being, setting a high standard for innovative, user-centered solutions in the industry.

Adobe XD Prototype