A few weeks ago, we launched a new feature: Actionable Content. This feature allows challenge admins to post a task, action, or behavior they want their participants to complete. Once achieved, challenge participants can mark this action as complete in the app.
We love to use our own product, so we put our new feature to the test in our our free, consumer step challenge app, Stridekick. With Thanksgiving just a few weeks away, we decided to create a challenge that focused on gratitude. We used Actionable Content to post a new gratitude prompt each day of the challenge.
Our app was flooded with stories of gratitude, love, happiness, struggle, and triumph.
The response from users humbled us. Our app was flooded with stories of gratitude, love, happiness, struggle, and triumph. In the midst of a difficult year, we were struck and inspired by the resounding honesty, grit, and gratitude of our users.
What are people grateful for in 2020? Here were the top answers:
- Family
- Health
- Job
- House
- Nature
- Friends
- Education
- Life, being alive
- Pets
- Faith, spirituality
- Freedom
- Getting a good night’s sleep
- Having enough to eat
- Access to internet
- Being debt-free
- Music and art
- Resilience, ability to persevere
- Ability to forgive
- Self-respect
- The Stridekick community ❤️
Over 1/4 of challenge participants completed the daily gratitude prompt.
While we always hope and design for engagement in our app, we were floored by the number of users completing the gratitude prompts. In a challenge with thousands of users, nearly 1 out of 4 participants consistently completed the daily prompts.
Even more surprising, our challenge participants did more than simply mark the action as complete. They used our comment feature to answer the prompt. In addition to hundreds of completions, we saw hundreds of comments on each post.
We asked users to, “Recall a hard time and how you've grown from it.” While every prompt had touching comments, the responses to this question seemed particularly inspiring given the challenges of the year. Reading through the answers, we saw struggle and loss, but most importantly, we saw human resilience. Here’s a few stories our users shared.
- “Left CA due to domestic violence and moved to MO with my kids not knowing anyone. 6 years later I'm engaged and my kids are doing great.”
- “My grandfather passed away in Feb. Grief and depression consumed me. With God and my faith I'm in a much better space”
- “Having to start all over after mismanaging my money and [and now I've] never [been] happier”
- “Struggling with infertility and then welcoming our daughter many years later 💕”
- “I went through a nasty divorce and had to raise my daughter alone with no child support but I survived stronger than before.”
- “Diagnosed with cancer in February. Underwent surgery. Thankfully no signs of spread. Learning the importance of eating well, exercising.”
- “Lost my job but it lead to a career change that has been great.”
- “Losing so many loved ones. I have learned to appreciate everything more in life and enjoy the good times I have with friends and family.”
- “I learned to be thankful every day after a fatal car accident. My mom & I were passengers. She died and I had cuts, bruises.”
- “Nursing my dad as he was terminal and moving onto train as a nurse as a result”
- “In fall 2018 I had back surgery, was let go (because of surgery), and my GF broke up with me. Now down almost 40 lbs and doing great!”
- “Lost job, now what to do, started college to get a degree to get a better job, now I am 7 months from finishing!”
- “When I was 21 I got a DUI. I felt guilt and shame. I came out of Diversion a better, more responsible, person. Don’t drink and drive!”
- “A friend had conversations and suddenly start yelling at me on the phone. I hung [up] by saying, ‘I love you, call me back when [you] want to talk.’”
- “Some days are better than others when dealing with my mom’s dementia. But I am grateful for everyday I get to visit her and she remembers me.”
- “After screwing up my relationships with my husband & in laws, finally able to stay calm and make peace & eventually build healthier relations.”
- “I've had a few hard times. I always remember that things will get better. Even if it takes some time. I also am a hopeful person.”
There’s never been a better time to focus on gratitude. Run a gratitude challenge to ground yourself and others. You'll be thankful you did.
Practicing gratitude is scientifically proven to strengthen our mental and physical wellbeing. Follow our challenge plan to create your own gratitude challenge on the MoveSpring platform.
Challenge Name
✨14 Days of Gratitude
Challenge Description
This November, we're challenging you to 14 days of gratitude. Each day at 7am CST, we'll share a new daily gratitude prompt for you to complete. To participate, complete each daily prompt and mark it as done in your challenge. Use the comments to share your answers and gratitude with others. We hope you'll join us!
Actionable Content
Post the following prompts using our Actionable Content feature. For current clients, find all of these prompts in our MoveSpring Content Library and upload the entire collection in just 2 clicks.
- Learn about the Science of Gratitude with this video.
- Write down 5 things you're grateful for today.
- Appreciate the beauty of nature. Take in the sunset or sunrise; view photos of Earth's natural beauty.
- Recall a hard time and how you've grown from it.
- Take a deep breath and appreciate the gift of today.
- List 10 people you're grateful for.
- Thank a friend or family member. Make your friend or family member's day with a quick call, text, or note letting them know you're thankful for them!
- Find one way you can give back. Lend a helping hand, a listening ear, or share an unexpected gift today.
- Spend 5 minutes reflecting on what you're grateful for.
- Write down your talents and how you can use them for good.
- Reframe a negative thought to a grateful one today.
- Wake up early to write down 3 things you're grateful for.
- Learn how to add gratitude to your daily routine with tips from this article.
Streak Challenge
Goal: 7,500 steps/day
Prize
Gratitude Journal or subscription to Headspace
Don’t have a subscription to MoveSpring? Get a demo of our product here. Or, tell us what you’re grateful for by posting and tagging us on social media.
Happy Thanksgiving from everyone at MoveSpring!
P.S. Check out another Thanksgiving-themed challenge idea here.
