Getting Started with Brightli

Your guide to understanding what makes you thrive

Welcome to Brightli!

Brightli is the only planner with built-in reflection intelligence. We don't just help you schedule activities; we help you understand your experiences so you can adapt for better results. This guide will show you how to get the most out of your Brightli journey.

Step 1: Download and Launch

  1. Open the App Store on your iPhone or iPad
  2. Search for "Brightli" or tap the download link
  3. Tap "Get" to download and install
  4. Open Brightli from your home screen
💡 System Requirements

Brightli requires iOS 14.0 or later. The app works completely offline and stores all your data locally on your device for maximum privacy.

Step 2: Quick Setup

Your first launch includes a brief onboarding experience:

About Category Sets

Brightli offers three ways to organize activities. Each uses the same four core categories but with different naming that resonates with different goals:

  • Default: Happy, Strong, Organized, Smart (what you're striving for)
  • Lifestyle: Heart, Body, Life, Mind (parts of you that benefit)
  • Creative: Connect, Move, Create, Think (actions you take)

You can switch between these anytime; your data and insights seamlessly adapt to your new framework.

Step 3: Understanding Categories & Reflection Intelligence

Categories are the foundation of Brightli's reflection intelligence. When you assign an activity to a category, you're helping Brightli understand the type of experience to ask about.

How It Works

Each category influences which reflection questions you'll receive:

Smart Categorization

Brightli learns from your activity names to suggest categories automatically. For example, "Morning Workout" suggests Body, while "Team Meeting" suggests Heart. You can always adjust these suggestions.

Getting Started Tip

Don't overthink your category choices when starting out. Pick what feels right intuitively—you can always refine later, and Brightli maintains your progress across category changes.

Step 4: Schedule Your First Activity

Let's create an activity you want to reflect on:

  1. Tap the + button at the bottom of your screen
  2. Enter a descriptive title (e.g., "Morning Run," "Focus Time," "Catch up with Sarah")
  3. Select a category that fits this activity
  4. Set the date and time when you'll do this activity
  5. Add the expected duration
  6. Important: Toggle "Activity Tracking" ON to enable reflections
  7. Optionally add notes for context
  8. Tap "Save"
Understanding Activity Tracking

Not every activity needs reflection. Activity Tracking is your way to tell Brightli which experiences you want to learn from. Free users can track 3 activities per week, while Premium users have unlimited tracking.

Pro Tips for Better Activities

Step 5: Complete and Reflect

This is where Brightli's magic happens—the reflection intelligence that helps you understand yourself.

Marking Activities Complete

  1. After finishing your activity, tap on it from your main dashboard
  2. In the activity details popup, tap the three dots (⋯) menu
  3. Select "Complete"
  4. The activity moves to your Completed section

The Reflection Flow

If Activity Tracking was enabled, your completed activity appears in "Pending Reflections." Here's what happens when you tap it:

1. Rate Your Experience

Use the 1-5 star rating scale to capture how it went. You can even tap between stars for half-star ratings (like 3.5 or 4.5 stars). This rating is crucial—it helps Brightli detect patterns in your performance.

2. Choose Your Reflection Style

After rating, you have three options:

3. Experience Adaptive Questions

Brightli's reflection intelligence adapts to your patterns:

Quality Over Quantity

You don't need to write paragraphs. A thoughtful sentence or two capturing key details is perfect. Authenticity matters more than length—your reflections are private and designed to help you discover patterns.

Step 6: Discover Your Insights

After completing 10-15 activities with reflections, visit the Insights tab to see what Brightli has learned about you.

What You'll Discover

Insights Grow With You

The more you reflect, the more accurate and valuable your insights become. Brightli identifies subtle patterns you'd never notice on your own, like realizing outdoor activities boost your mood more than indoor ones, or that you're most creative in the late evening.

Step 7: Explore Additional Features

Journal Entries

Beyond activity reflections, use the Journal tab to capture longer-form thoughts, gratitude, or daily summaries. Premium users get unlimited journal entries with additional prompts.

Calendar View

Switch to Calendar view to see your activities across weeks and months. Great for identifying scheduling patterns or gaps in certain activity categories.

Themes & Customization

Visit Settings to explore themes, adjust text size, change category names, and customize your Brightli experience. Free users access 3 themes; Premium unlocks 40+ beautiful options.

Data Export

Premium users can export their reflections and journal entries as CSV files for external analysis or backup.

Tips for Success

Start Small, Build Momentum

Begin with 2-3 tracked activities per week. This gives you enough data for insights without feeling overwhelming. As reflection becomes habitual, you can track more.

Be Consistent With Reflections

The real value comes from completing reflections regularly, not perfectly. Even brief responses help Brightli detect patterns that guide your growth.

Review Weekly

Set aside 5-10 minutes each week to review your Insights. Look for trends, surprises, and opportunities to optimize your activities.

Experiment With Categories

If Default categories don't resonate, try Lifestyle or Creative naming. Different frameworks help different people connect with their activities.

Use Notes for Context

When scheduling activities, add contextual notes: "feeling stressed," "trying new route," "first time solo." These details help you understand what influences your experience.

Enable Notifications

Turn on reflection reminders so you don't forget to capture your experiences while they're fresh. You can customize notification timing in Settings.

Understanding Free vs. Premium

Free Features (Always Available)

Premium Features ($4.99/month)

Try Premium Free

New users can start a 7-day free trial of Premium to experience all features before deciding. No credit card required to begin.

Ready to Understand What Makes You Thrive?

Download Brightli and start your journey of self-discovery through reflection

Download Brightli
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