When the sun comes out here, people just... appear. On benches, in plazas, on any patch of concrete that catches the light. Like plants turning toward the window.
I loved that. But I kept missing it.
Working from home, I'd look up from my screen and realize the sun was already gone. Again. Another golden afternoon I spent indoors without noticing.
So I thought: what if my phone could just tap me on the shoulder when the sun is out?
I had zero coding experience. Literally none. But I'd been hearing about "vibe coding" — using AI to help build things. Figured I'd try.
Two weeks later, I had an app.
Four App Store rejections later, I had an app that actually worked.
What it does (pretty simple):
- Tracks your actual sunlight exposure using Apple Watch
- Gives you a daily "Sunshine Score" based on time, frequency, and whether you caught morning sun
- Sends a gentle nudge when conditions are good outside
- Shows your weekly patterns so you can see the truth
What nearly killed it:
Got flagged by Apple for “Physical Harm” — who knew sunlight was a threat? The issue was missing citations for the health info, so I added proper sources and moved on.
Then rejected for Privacy issues. Then "App Completeness." Twice.
Each rejection email hurt. But honestly? Each one made the app better.
Why I'm sharing this:
Not because I think this will change the world. It won't.
But I spent years thinking "I wish I could build that" and never doing it. This time I did.
If you're sitting on an idea — maybe this is your sign.
It's called SunshinePal. Free to download.
Download SunshinePal on the App Store
Now if you'll excuse me, there's a patch of sunlight in my living room and I have about 10 minutes before it moves.