Thank You, Bolt.new, for Reminding Me to Be Proud of Myself

Nazlican Kurt — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 12:02:31 +0000

This is a submission for the World's Largest Hackathon Writing Challenge: After the Hack.

I first came across bolt.new while searching for small freelance work online. A client had built something using Bolt and needed support.

I clicked the link out of curiosity, and for a brief moment, I thought:

This website might be the final nail in the coffin for my already fragile coding career.

Because for years, I’ve struggled to fit into the traditional mold of a developer.

I've always struggled to memorize syntax, to write perfect code, to feel like I truly belong in this industry. I’ve often questioned whether this path was even meant for me.

I’ve thought about giving up more than once. But as I explored Bolt, I realized it wasn’t here to replace me — it could actually support me. It could make building easier, not harder.

Soon after, I discovered the World’s Largest Hackathon. It felt like someone had created it with people like me in mind. Not the picture-perfect coders, but the ones who struggle, who doubt, who adapt.

ADHD, Paper Scraps, and Cracked Bowls

I live with ADHD. It’s something I used to hide, but I no longer feel the need to.

For years, I coped in my own way. I’d tear scraps of paper from old calendars and write reminders to myself: “Stretch today,” “Drink water,” “Take a walk.” I’d stick them up around my space. Seeing them gave me structure and checking them off gave me a tiny sense of victory.

You might ask:

“Why not just use one of the many habit-tracking apps out there?”

And the truth is: I did.

I’ve tried a lot of habit and productivity apps out there. I’m not against them, many are well-designed and helpful. But most of them rely on streaks. You either did it or you didn’t. You see red. You lose your chain. It’s black or white.

And my brain craves that kind of system. I chase the streak, the clean checkmark, the illusion of perfection. But when I miss a day — and I will — it hits harder than it should.

That’s where uLuup is different.

Instead of punishing you for falling off, it meets you where you are.

The AI becomes a mirror, not a judge.

It’s still a system. It still has structure. But it’s kinder.

It reminds you:
You’re doing great — even if your version of
'great' looks different.
And that belief alone can keep someone going.

uLuup: The Art of Filling Cracks with Gold

My app is called uLuup — a blend of “you” and “loop,” but also inspired by the Japanese philosophy of Kintsugi: the art of repairing broken pottery with gold.

The idea is simple, that our flaws don’t need to be hidden. They can be transformed into something beautiful.

You can find the app in Google Play Store:

uLuup: Mindful Habit Tracker - Apps on Google Play

Build mindful habits with self compassion through 18-day cycles.

play.google.com

or App Store:

‎uLuup: Gentle Habit Tracker App - App Store

Download uLuup: Gentle Habit Tracker by AUREMYST YAZILIM TEKNOLOJI TICARET VE SANAYI LIMITED SIRKETI on the App Store. See screenshots, ratings and reviews,…

apps.apple.com

or check out the full project on Devpost:

uLuup | Devpost

uLuup is a wellness app inspired by Kintsugi. Track daily self-care by placing stones in your bowl. Missed days become cracks, returning fills them with gold. Imperfection becomes beauty.

devpost.com

In uLuup, each time you complete a small intention, you place a stone into your virtual bowl. If you miss days sometimes, a crack appears. But when you return, the AI fills that crack with gold. Your absence is not punished and your return is honored.

The app works in 18-day cycles. With AI’s help, you define small, meaningful goals. Goals that are gentle and sustainable.

And if you fall behind, it doesn’t scold you. Instead, it helps you pause, reset, and find a clear next step, something manageable you can try again.

There's also a journaling space to breathe, reflect, and be kind to yourself.

Starting Late, But Finding My Way

I began the hackathon late, maybe with only 7 to 10 days left. Because life is always full. As someone with ADHD, even three tasks on my plate can feel like thirty. The mental load is constant. But somehow, I started.

For days, I pushed myself. It wasn’t healthy. I worked long hours, barely slept, and eventually burned out. I had anxiety attacks.

And in that chaos, a strange kind of clarity appeared:

This app I’m building, this is exactly why it matters.

uLuup encourages steady momentum through small intentions, offering space to pause and begin again whenever needed. That mindset shaped how I moved through the final stretch.

So in those last moments before submitting, I didn’t feel anxiety.

I felt something better: proud.

Proud that I kept going.
Proud that I made it to the end, even when it was messy.

Thank you, bolt.new, for reminding me to be proud of myself

The Thing I Built, and What It Gave Back

In the days after I submitted my project, I found myself constantly checking Bolt's social media. I refreshed the page more times than I want to admit, just hoping they might see it or share it.

Looking back, all that waiting probably got into my head.

That night, I dreamed the winners were being announced. I was scrolling through the list, searching for uLuup, and it wasn’t there. I felt that familiar drop in my chest, like I had missed something important.

Then, still in the dream, a thought came to me:

These are just some of the categories. There’s still more to come.

When I woke up, I felt calm.
It didn’t bother me as much as I thought it would.

I opened the project again. I made a copy. I started working on it because I actually wanted to.

uLuup is a quiet companion for people, the ones who carry invisible weight, who get overwhelmed, who need a softer way to keep going.

But this writing, is mostly for me.
Because now I know:
Starting was enough.
And I did.

DEV Community: Nazlican Kurt