Self-Determination Theory
The idea that autonomy, competence, and relatedness are core human needs
SINCE 2022
Our Philosophy
The TL;DR:
Life doesn't compartmentalize. Your stress at work bleeds into your sleep. A hard conversation with someone you love affects your focus. Rest changes everything. We're building Tabi for the whole person — not the optimized version, the actual version. Real human flourishing isn't optimization, it's about reconnecting with what matters, moving at a pace that's real for you, and trusting yourself to know what you need.
It's not you. It's the system.
Most wellness tools are built for people who have their shit together.
They assume you have the bandwidth for perfect routines, the discipline for streaks, the energy to optimize every corner of your life, the clarity to know what you want and the consistency to stick with it.
And if you're not that person? Well, that's a you problem.
Except it's not.
It's a design problem.
We've spent time listening to people — overwhelmed professionals, people cycling through burnout, people trying to figure out what matters to them while everything else is demanding their attention. And what we kept hearing was this:
"I know what I want. I just can't seem to make it stick. And I feel like I'm failing."
The thing is, they're not failing. The system is failing them.
Human-first wellness for real life
Life isn’t lived in neat categories.
Your energy affects your work.
Your relationships affect your motivation.
Your sense of purpose affects your mental health.
Rest affects clarity.
Stress affects everything.
At tabi, we believe well-being is not about optimizing one part of life while the rest falls apart. It’s about supporting the whole person — realistically, compassionately, and sustainably.
We’re building tabi around a deep belief:
Human flourishing happens when people can reconnect with what matters, adapt to real life, and move forward in ways that align with who they are.
Everything is connected
Think about the last time something went wrong at work. Did it stay at work? Or did it follow you home — into your sleep, your patience, your ability to show up for people you love?
That's because you're not a collection of separate compartments. You're a whole person. And every part of your life touches every other part.
Many wellness tools focus narrowly on productivity, fitness, or mental health in isolation., but humans don’t work that way.
Wellness is ✨multidimensional✨
Our philosophy is influenced by the 8 Dimensions of Wellness framework, which recognizes that well-being is interconnected across multiple areas of life:
- Mental: How you process and express what you're feeling
- Physical: Your body, energy, sleep, movement
- Social: Your relationships and sense of belonging
- Intellectual: Learning, curiosity, growth
- Occupational: Work, purpose, contribution
- Financial: Security, stability, resources
- Environmental: Your space, surroundings, connection to the world
- Spiritual: Meaning, values, what matters to you
When one area is struggling, others feel it. When one improves, it ripples outward.
Most wellness tools ignore this. They focus on one thing — be it productivity, fitness, or meditation — in isolation. As if you can optimize your calendar while your relationships suffer, or chase health goals while your work is crushing you.
We think that's backwards.
At tabi, we start with the whole person. Because your life is connected, your tools should work that way too.
Self-Actualization, Spiritual Wellness, and Meaning
Meaning isn't a luxury. It's a necessity.
There's a concept called self-actualization — the human need to grow into who you actually are, not who you're "supposed" to be.
The real timeline for meaning
For a long time, it was framed as something you get to after you've solved everything else. Like it's a luxury for people with time and stability. A treat for people who have already optimized their lives.
But that's not how it works in real life.
The search for meaning, purpose, and alignment doesn't wait for perfect conditions. People are searching for it in the middle of struggle, uncertainty, competing demands, grief, and change. Because it's not optional. It's deeply human.
Spiritual wellness (without the woo)
We call this spiritual wellness — but we don't mean it in either a religious or a woo way. We mean:
- What matters to you?
- What makes you feel aligned?
- What do you want your life to actually be about?
- What identity do you create for yourself?
- What values do you hold?
- What brings you connection to something larger than yourself?
That could look like community, contribution, family, faith, nature, personal growth, or building something meaningful. It's different for everyone. But it's the same basic need: to feel like your life is yours, and like you're moving in a direction that makes sense to you.
At its core, it’s about feeling aligned with the life you’re living.
Why aligned goals actually stick
When you're moving toward something that's actually meaningful to you (not what you think you should want) that's when things stick. That's when you have the resilience to keep going, even when things get hard.
We call these self-concordant goals. Research backs this up: goals that align with your actual values, identity, and intrinsic motivations are the ones you sustain, because they truly matter. Not because you're disciplined. But because they're real to you.
Real life isn't a perfect routine. So why do we design like it is?
What actually happens
Here's what we know about you: Your energy fluctuates. You get overwhelmed. Sometimes you're in crisis mode. Sometimes you're sad. Sometimes you're navigating a major life change or trying to show up for someone else while barely keeping yourself afloat. Maybe you're neurodivergent, or your brain just works differently. Maybe you have caregiving responsibilities that shift everything.
And yet most wellness systems are designed for one scenario: a stable person with consistent energy and endless motivation, living in ideal conditions.
That person doesn't exist.
The failure isn't yours
So what happens? You try the app, routine, Notion template. It works for a week or two. Then life happens. You miss a day. You fall behind. And now the system is telling you you've failed.
Except you haven't failed. The system just decided that your real life is a failure mode.
How we design differently
We're building Tabi differently because we believe systems should adapt to humans - not force humans to (constantly) adapt to systems. That means:
- No punishment for inconsistency
- No shame around rest
- No "falling behind"
- No expectation of constant optimization
Instead, we focus on clarity over pressure. Direction over perfection. Sustainable movement over intensity. Because progress isn't linear, and wellness isn't a performance.
Preventative wellness matters
Much of modern life is reactive. People wait until burnout, crisis, or exhaustion before support appears.
We believe preventative wellness deserves more attention.
Not in a paranoid or perfectionistic way, but through small, ongoing practices.
Sometimes preventative wellness looks like:
- better boundaries
- more rest
- meaningful connection
- reducing mental overload
- clearer priorities
- realistic expectations
- making space for joy and play
- taking one small aligned step before things spiral
Human flourishing is built through many small moments that add up.
Human flourishing, not human optimization
We're not here to turn you into a productivity machine. We're not building for endless productivity.
We're building for humans with changing lives, emotions, limitations, ambitions, relationships, and needs.
We're here to help you:
- Reconnect with what actually matters to you
- Move at a pace that's real and sustainable
- Trust yourself to know what you need
- Make progress without the shame
- Hold the whole picture of your life
Human flourishing isn't about doing more or perfectly.
It's about doing what's actually aligned with who you are.
What influences how we think
We're not pretending we invented this. Our philosophy is built on decades of research and thinking across psychology, behavioral science, wellness, systems thinking, and human development.
Here are some of the frameworks and ideas that shape our thinking:
Self-Concordant Goals
The research showing that goals aligned with your actual values stick much better than imposed ones
Positive Psychology
Focusing on what helps people thrive, not just what's broken
Systems Thinking
Recognizing that everything is connected and affects everything else
Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Learning to move forward even with difficulty, rather than waiting for perfect conditions
Cognitive Load Theory
Understanding that overwhelm comes from too many competing demands on your attention
Humanistic Psychology
Centering the human experience and potential for growth
Burnout Research
Understanding the real costs of chronic stress and the conditions that help people recover
Neurodiversity-Informed Design
Building systems that work for different brains, not just neurotypical ones
Salutogenesis
The study of what creates health, not just what causes illness
Ikigai
The Japanese concept of finding purpose where your passion, skill, contribution, and livelihood overlap
Polyvagal Theory
Understanding how your nervous system works and what helps you feel safe
No single framework explains human wellbeing. But together, they all point to the same thing:
Humans thrive when they feel supported, connected, capable, and aligned with what matters to them.
That's what we're building toward.
Why this matters right now
The world is moving faster. Expectations are higher. Everything feels urgent. And somewhere in that noise, people are losing track of themselves.
We're not interested in helping you optimize your way to burnout faster. We don't aim to commodify wellness either.
We're interested in helping you reconnect with what's actually real and true about your life — and then move in directions that feel aligned with who you are.
Because when you're not running on empty, trying to be someone you're not, chasing goals that don't actually matter to you — that's when real things become possible.
Clarity. Connection. Sustainable progress. Self-trust.
A life that actually feels like yours.
That's the philosophy behind tabi.
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