Part 2: Coco’s “All-In” Manifesto
Following up on my reflections from the All-In Summit, I am inspired to share my "All-In" Manifesto.
My sister and I have dedicated over three years to our startup, where we have discovered a deceptively simple, yet powerful concept that appears to act as an antidote to social media's ill effects. We are dedicated to building this antidote and making it accessible to everyone and it's for this mission that I am currently "All-In".
The Venom:
As I previously mentioned, social media's negative impact is undeniably far-reaching. It cultivates a comparison mindset that breeds anxiety, depression, loneliness, and low self-esteem. It perpetuates triggering and polarizing click-bait content, fueling stress and widening divides.
These are the precise issues that we seek to directly counteract with our antidote.
The Antidote:
Did you know that the ability to reflect is a vital human skill? It's one of the things that makes us human. It's what has allowed us to survive as a species and it's what drives us to innovate.
Here are a few words from experts on Nostalgic Reflection:
“Looking back leads us to feel there is meaning and purpose in our lives which enables us to better navigate the future and help us move forward.”
“Research shows that nostalgic reflection makes us more optimistic. It reaffirms our social connections. And by remembering important things about the past, it lays out a vision for a hopeful future.”
-*Rising, L. R. (2020, December 22). The Benefits of Nostalgia: Q&A with Linda Rising. InfoQ. From www.infoq.com/news/2020/12/benefits-nostalgia
"Nostalgia reconnects you to who you are, and that feels like returning somewhere safe, explains therapist John Tsilimparis, MFT. This nugget of safety can actually give you a timeout from emotions like anxiety, sadness, loneliness, or boredom—even if that’s just for the three minutes you’re reliving a memory."
"It’s sort of like going to your happy place!"
"Basically, nostalgia makes you feel like your life matters."
-Clay Routledge
-*Sam Brodsky, Why Are We All So Damn Nostalgic Lately?, Wondermind, 8/15/23
The Reflection Revolution:
We believe that society has accidentally stopped reflecting. Instead of engaging with our thoughts during idle moments, we reach for social media. This perpetuates the comparison mindset and does not allow for moments of reflection. And if we aren't reflecting, we aren't innovating (on a personal level or, arguably, a societal level)!
So, how exactly do we plan to manufacture personalized reflection at scale?
The Recipe for our Antidote: Gaming + Memories = A Daily Reflection Ritual
Our approach involves developing a library of hypercasual mobile games that are instantly personalized with the memories stored on your phone, making reflection as easy as playing a game of Candy Crush.
By delivering the reflection experience in a gaming format, we are hoping to reach more people. Gaming requires little discipline relative to the discipline required to do daily meditations or write in a journal. Additionally, using the tens of thousands of photos we've each collected as the fuel for our personalized reflection experience makes the act of reflection an instantaneous and subconscious experience that occurs while you are simply playing our games.
By spending less time in the comparison mindset every day, and more time in reflection, our users will feel gratitude, optimism, and gain new perspectives on their lives. Something we all need more of!
A Call to Action:
To mothers and children grappling with the adverse effects of excessive social media use, we urge you to recognize its toll on your well-being. We aren’t saying, "GET OFF SOCIAL MEDIA", because we know that’s unrealistic. But we are hoping we can replace a small part of that time every day with an antidote. Everything in life is about balance, and we are hoping this antidote will give people the balance they need right now.
Join Our Journey:
We're still in the early stages of product development, but you can explore our MVP with the first four gaming experiences by downloading Endora in the app store. More experiences are coming soon, as well as iPad compatibility and Android!
Over the next few weeks, we are expanding our beta from 100 to 1000 participants. If you wish to join our beta, please sign up for our newsletter to get more information. We will be looking to fill spots in our beta with experts in mental health, neuroscience, psychology, and gaming, as well as parents and teachers/professors, so please sign up if this sounds like you!
Looking for Angels & Early Stage Investors:
We are also kicking off our preseed fundraising round which will enable us to transform our MVP from simple games + memories into a comprehensive 'Reflection as a Daily Ritual' experience. If you think you might be interested in funding our mission, please reach out to me or my co-founder, Kitty Bogle-Sherman.
Conclusion:
The All-In Summit provided profound insights into the world's current challenges and the urgent need for radical change. Social media's impact, often overlooked, looms large. We must confront it head-on, with multifaceted solutions and the willingness to experiment with radically different approaches. Our startup, Endora Technologies, Inc., is dedicated to making this vision a reality, so join us on this transformative journey toward a healthier, more reflective, and balanced digital world.
If you made it this far and appreciate the effort, please show us some love with a like.
If you think we might be on to something, give us a follow and help us spread the message with a share - we need the help - we are new to X!
And we are just getting started.
Until next time,
Coco
Enjoying the balcony at UCLA’s Royce Hall waiting for the next speaker to come on stage.
