Self-care journals, apps, gadgets – you name it, I’ve tried it. However, I always forget or ditch the item within the week, resulting in many, many half-finished self-care projects. I couldn’t find anything to fit my long-term needs – until I discovered Finch.
Finch is an app where you raise a pet finch (as referenced in the name). Originally popularized on TikTok, videos presented on the brand’s page to individual users showcasing their finches would gather millions of views. Each day your finch goes on an adventure due to the self-care habits you create. There’s reflections, soundscapes, breathing exercises, goals, and more – all tailored to your daily mood and motivation. Think of it as a self-care “Tamogotchi”, and you’ll be pleased to hear that your finch is automatically fed (no grieving here)!
So, how exactly does Finch work? By promoting the use of gamification such as working towards new clothing for your finch, it can help you feel motivated to finish goals and reflections on various activities (the longer the writing, the more points!). Over time, Finch tracks your word choices to find connections between your mood and daily activities. With this information in mind, you get the opportunity to explore what makes your day better or worse and adapt your daily activities as you see fit. As you go about the day, you’ll have a cute bird giving you motivational messages (via notifications), such as “You got this” and “It’s okay to rest”!
One thing that has always irked me is the limitations of apps with strong persuasions to buy an additional subscription. While Finch does offer a ‘plus’ model with increased flexibility of self-care choices, it doesn’t feel necessary to get valuable tools from the app.
Overall, taking care of yourself is a heck of a lot easier when your cute pixelated pet also benefits – it’s a win-win! Finch is available in Apple’s app store or through apps on Google Play.