Edit: After surprising pushback, Tia is now a Tea cup.

After the success of Life Badger, one thing became very clear to me: people love a character. There’s something special about having a little face cheering you on—a mascot that makes an app feel like a friend instead of just another tool.

So when I looked at Today I Am, I realized it was missing that touch of personality. Sure, the daily Personas are already funimaginative, you can wake up as a toaster or a thunderstorm, but there wasn’t a character tying it all together.

I’m absolutely thrilled with how the Life Badger app icon and mascot turned out. There’s something so special about seeing a little character that represents the heart of what I’ve built. The badger is playful yet determined, quirky yet lovable, and just a little bit cheeky, exactly the kind of vibe I wanted to convey in an app that’s all about achieving goals and celebrating progress.

What really makes the badger stand out is how it feels like a companion on your journey. Every time the little face pops up on the screen, it brings a smile to my face, especially on the Apple TV. There’s something about seeing the badger’s expression, whether it’s as you unlock a new achievement or simply navigate through the app, that just feels like a pat on the back. It’s a small, but comforting, reminder that we’re all capable of accomplishing great things, even when the process feels like a challenge.