Simple Habit Tracker with Visual Progress Board

After giving birth, I expected exhaustion, sleepless nights, and a learning curve. But I didn’t expect to completely lose myself. Postpartum depression crept in quietly, and I stopped caring about meals, hygiene, and connection. Days blurred together. I felt broken, like I had no willpower left. But what scared me? I stopped dreaming of the future. Then I found something called the X Effect, and soon after, the Effecto app. I learned about building habits in tiny, consistent steps and visually tracking them in a 7x7 grid. It felt so simple, almost silly. But desperate to feel human again, I committed. My first card? “Go outside for 10 minutes.” That was it. Every day, I’d cross out an X after doing it. That visual proof of *showing up* was life-changing. The app kept me motivated with gentle prompts and emotional insights, not punishment, just support. Then came habit card #2: “Drink a full glass of water after waking.” Then: “5 minutes of journaling.” Then: “One loving sentence to myself in the mirror.” I'm on card #6 now, and it’s wild to say this, but I feel again. I feel capable. I even feel proud. My willpower didn’t magically return; it was rebuilt, one small X at a time. If you’re in a dark place, whether it’s postpartum or just feeling stuck, please know: it’s not about big leaps. It’s about one fat-marker X at a time. The Effecto app gave me structure, accountability, and hope. We *can* heal. Slowly. Boldly. X by X.