Softermake the next minute smaller
For the moment choosing feels like too much
Softer is a private native Mac companion for ordinary stress. Start without an account or saved profile, choose one available activity, try one of two finite games, or reach human support. Every path can be stopped or skipped.
Illustrative reconstruction · current Mac flow
No-save guest start
Continue without saving
Choose an age experience, then Softer shows one available starting point. No alias or Keychain write is required.
Start one gentle activityNot another wellness feed.
Softer addresses selection friction during an overloaded moment: one reversible action first, with alternatives and human support nearby.
Need first · diagnosis never
A no-save guest path removes account and profile setup. Six optional plain-language choices map to different starting modalities; they are user-selected context, not symptoms or clinical labels.
Suggested starting point
Softer never infers this choice from typing, sensors, play, or time on screen.
Nine activities · zero required routine
Nothing requires journaling, emotion labeling, a timer, a streak, or an account.
Three neutral colors, shapes, sounds, or contact points.
About 1 minuteAn adjustable visual pacer with pause, shape-only words, and a static Reduce Motion fallback.
1–2 minutesRelease-only; no squeezing, forcing, or straining.
1–2 minutesOne seated or standing movement within the usual range.
1–2 minutesReview a neutral check-in and choose the recipient yourself.
At your paceThree branching coves, six route variants, hidden fits, and optional hints.
No score or timerGuide a lantern through one to three static waypoints.
No losing or streakNo countdown, reminder, or required return.
At your paceOne safe, controllable action for the next ten minutes.
About 1 minuteTwo forms of play · no compulsion loop
The games are optional distraction, not therapy, assessment, proof of calm, or a source of personalization data.
ACTIVE FOCUS
Original 4 × 4 coves, multiple complete tilings, six session routes, solver-protected moves, optional Hint, Undo, tap or drag, and exactly nine placements.
No: pre-marked answer, score, timer, line clear, combo, reward, losing, or endless replay.
GENTLE FOCUS
One to three noticing prompts move a lantern toward shore. Sound is unnecessary; Skip moves one waypoint and Stop leaves immediately.
No: score, speed, streak, randomized reward, or escalating difficulty.
Repository-informed · deliberately original
We compared public repositories and official products. They are design references, not endorsements or evidence that Softer works.
Medito is a mature meditation library. Softer is a narrow native Mac tool with no content backend.
Breathly specializes in paced breathing. Softer keeps breathing optional and offers movement, connection, orientation, planning, screen-off time, and play.
Both reject guilt and streaks. Softer differs through its moment-first flow, two finite games, encrypted multi-profile boundaries, and persistent support.
Softer has no chatbot, conversation memory, backend, or crisis classifier. Static support never waits for inference.
Plausible mechanisms · untested product
Mental wellbeing includes the capacity to cope, function, connect, and participate. Softer targets one small part: reducing choice burden and offering a reversible next action.
WHO stress guidance includes grounding and building awareness. Softer offers short outside-in noticing with an immediate exit.
NIMH lists movement and relaxation activities, including breathing and muscle relaxation, as general self-care options.
Social connection matters to wellbeing; choosing one small priority can make the next few minutes more manageable.
Casual-game reviews report possible momentary effects, but results vary by game, group, and study. Harbor Tiles and Harbor Path remain unvalidated.
Human support · always available
If someone may hurt themselves or another person, cannot stay safe, or faces immediate danger, use real-world help now. Softer does not monitor or contact anyone.