# Mochi — Voice & Tone

Bright, not bubbly · Small-step encouraging · Playful with purpose · Kindly accountable · Clear and calming

## Personality

- **Funny ↔ Serious:** leans funny (-1) — Mochi should be lightly playful and charming, but wellness moments still need sincerity and care.
- **Formal ↔ Casual:** casual (+2) — The app should feel like a friendly daily companion, using simple conversational language rather than formal wellness terminology.
- **Respectful ↔ Irreverent:** leans respectful (-1) — Mochi can be playful, but it should stay respectful because users may be managing stress, fatigue, or sensitive health routines.
- **Enthusiastic ↔ Matter-of-fact:** leans enthusiastic (-1) — Mochi brings bright encouragement to small wins, while avoiding overhyped motivation that could feel pressuring.

## Traits

- **Bright, not bubbly** — Uses warm, light-filled language that feels optimistic without becoming sugary or excessive.
  - Why: Mochi is about daily wellness, where users may be tired, stressed, or starting over. The voice should add lift without pretending everything is easy.
  - e.g. "A fresh little reset is ready when you are."
- **Small-step encouraging** — Frames progress as tiny, doable actions rather than big transformations or perfect routines.
  - Why: Mochi’s core promise is making healthy habits feel approachable. The voice should reduce pressure and make one small action feel worthwhile.
  - e.g. "One glass of water counts. Tiny wins still count."
- **Playful with purpose** — Adds gentle charm, sensory words, and light metaphor, but always keeps the next step clear.
  - Why: The name Mochi suggests softness, delight, and friendliness. The product experience should feel playful, but not distract from wellness goals.
  - e.g. "Your stretch break is waiting. Give your shoulders a little wiggle room."
- **Kindly accountable** — Supports consistency without guilt, shame, or hard-sell motivation. Nudges are caring, never scolding.
  - Why: Daily wellness apps can easily make users feel like they failed. Mochi should help people return gently, even after missed days.
  - e.g. "Missed yesterday? No big deal. Today is a soft place to start."
- **Clear and calming** — Keeps instructions simple, direct, and low-friction, especially around tasks, errors, and personal wellbeing.
  - Why: Users open Mochi to feel better, not to decode complicated UX copy. Clarity protects the friendly, low-stress experience.
  - e.g. "Choose one habit to start with. You can add more anytime."

## Tone by context

- **Onboarding:** Be welcoming, simple, and low-pressure. Emphasize that Mochi adapts to the user’s day rather than demanding a total lifestyle overhaul.
- **Daily check-ins:** Sound like a gentle companion. Use short prompts, soft encouragement, and concrete actions. Avoid making the check-in feel like a test.
- **Reminders and push notifications:** Be brief, timely, and lightly playful. Make the action feel easy to say yes to. Avoid urgency, guilt, or productivity-app pressure.
- **Success, streaks, and milestones:** Celebrate warmly, but keep it grounded. Focus on consistency, care, and small wins rather than achievement hype.
- **Missed habits or lapsed users:** Be forgiving and invitational. Never mention failure. Normalize returning and offer a tiny next step.
- **Errors and system issues:** Drop most playfulness. Be calm, plain, and helpful. Explain what happened, what the user can do, and reassure them if their progress is safe.
- **Marketing:** Lead with brightness and ease: small habits, playful rituals, everyday care. Avoid clinical claims, extreme outcomes, or hustle language.
- **Privacy, health, and sensitive data:** Be respectful, transparent, and plainspoken. Avoid jokes or cute metaphors. Users should feel safe and in control.

## Messaging

**Audience:** People who want to feel a little better each day but do not want rigid fitness plans, guilt-based reminders, or complicated wellness tracking.
**Value:** Mochi turns small healthy habits into bright, playful daily rituals you’ll actually want to return to.

- **Tiny habits that count** — Mochi treats small actions—water, movement, breathing, rest, reflection—as real progress, not warm-ups for something bigger.
- **A playful daily rhythm** — Friendly prompts, cheerful moments, and simple rituals make wellness feel lighter and more inviting.
- **No-guilt consistency** — Mochi helps users come back without shame, pressure, or streak anxiety. Missed days are part of the rhythm.
- **Clear care, not clutter** — The app keeps choices simple and guidance easy, so users can take action quickly and get on with their day.

## Lexicon

**Use:** `tiny win`, `small step`, `daily ritual`, `gentle nudge`, `check in`, `reset`, `brighten your day`, `soft start`, `little by little`, `care for yourself`, `pause`, `breathe`, `stretch`, `sip`, `rest`, `today counts`, `when you’re ready`, `no big deal`, `start fresh`, `keep it light`
**Avoid:** `crush your goals`, `no excuses`, `failure`, `falling behind`, `burn calories fast`, `optimize yourself`, `biohack`, `maximum productivity`, `discipline`, `willpower`, `perfect routine`, `transform your life`, `get serious`, `accountability punishment`, `lazy`, `bad habits`, `should`, `must`, `urgent`, `medicalized or diagnostic language unless legally reviewed`

## Mechanics

- **Capitalization:** Sentence case for headings, buttons, notifications, and navigation. Avoid title case unless required by platform conventions.
- **Contractions:** yes
- **Emoji:** Use sparingly: 0–1 emoji in celebratory or informal moments only. Do not use emoji in errors, privacy, billing, or health-sensitive copy.
- **Reading level:** Grade 6–8. Prefer short sentences, familiar words, and one clear action per message.

## Boilerplate

- **Short:** Mochi is a friendly daily-wellness app that makes small healthy habits feel bright, playful, and easy to keep.
- **Medium:** Mochi helps people build small healthy habits through bright, playful daily rituals. From gentle reminders to tiny wins, the app makes it easier to check in, reset, and care for yourself without pressure, perfection, or guilt.
- **Long:** Mochi is a friendly daily-wellness app built around small habits that actually fit into everyday life. With gentle nudges, playful check-ins, and simple rituals for movement, hydration, breathing, rest, and reflection, Mochi helps users care for themselves one tiny win at a time. It is designed to feel bright and encouraging, not strict or overwhelming, so missed days never become failures and starting again always feels easy.

## Voice in action

**Onboarding welcome screen**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| onboarding-welcome | Welcome to Mochi. Let’s build a few tiny habits that make your day feel brighter. | Welcome to Mochi. We’ll help you create a personalized wellness routine and stay accountable to your goals. | The on-voice version is warmer and smaller in scope; the off-voice version is competent but more generic and goal-management oriented. |

**Habit selection prompt**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| onboarding-welcome | Pick one small habit to start. You can add more whenever it feels right. | Select the wellness activities you want to track in your daily routine. | Mochi should make starting feel easy and human, not like configuring a tracker. |

**Daily check-in header**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| primary-cta | How are you feeling today? | Complete your daily wellness assessment | The on-voice version is conversational and low-pressure; the alternative feels clinical and formal. |

**Start a breathing exercise button**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| primary-cta | Take a tiny breath break | Begin breathing session | The on-voice button adds lightness while still making the action clear. |

**Hydration push notification**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| notification | Tiny sip time. Your water is waiting. | Reminder: Log your water intake for today. | The on-voice version feels like a gentle nudge; the alternative sounds functional but flat. |

**Movement reminder**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| notification | Your body might like a little wiggle. | You have not completed your movement goal yet. | Mochi avoids guilt and negative progress framing, especially in reminders. |

**Completed habit celebration**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| success | That counts. A tiny win for today. | Habit completed successfully. | The on-voice version reinforces Mochi’s small-wins philosophy; the alternative is clear but generic. |

**Three-day streak**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| success | Three days of showing up. Soft high five. | Congratulations! You are on a 3-day streak. Keep your momentum going. | The on-voice version celebrates without turning the streak into pressure. |

**Missed habit message**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| empty-state | Yesterday wandered off. No big deal—want to start fresh with one tiny step? | You missed yesterday’s habit. Complete today’s task to get back on track. | The on-voice version is forgiving and playful; the alternative is plausible but more corrective. |

**No habits created yet**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| empty-state | Your habit garden is empty for now. Plant one tiny ritual to begin. | You have not added any habits yet. Create a habit to start tracking progress. | The on-voice version uses light metaphor while keeping the action clear. |

**Sync error**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| error | We couldn’t sync just now. Your habits are safe—try again in a moment. | Sync failed. Please retry or contact support if the issue persists. | The on-voice version is calm and reassuring, with less system-first language. |

**Privacy settings explanation**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| success | Your check-ins are private. You choose what to save, edit, or delete. | Mochi leverages your wellness data to personalize your experience across the app. | Sensitive data copy should be plain, user-controlled, and trust-building—not abstract or tech-forward. |

**Upgrade screen**

| Surface | ✅ We say | ❌ We don't say | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| primary-cta | More gentle ways to care for your day. | Unlock premium tools to maximize your wellness results. | Mochi’s upgrade language should feel additive and caring, not performance-driven. |
