FAQ

What is Momentary?
Momentary is a service that sends you 1-2 messages a day, asking you to pause to recognize something positive about your day or your life. Specifically, we send you texts or emails (your choice) asking you questions, and then we store your responses in a private, confidential journal that you can view or download at any time.
Why are so many people joining Momentary?
Many people use Momentary as a way to keep themselves focused on the positive, uplifting parts of their lives. With all the distractions of modern life, it’s easy to focus on what’s not there instead of remembering how fortunate we are. Momentary helps you make gratitude an ongoing part of your daily life.

Other people say that they use Momentary as a way to keep a daily journal, recording all the funny, wonderful, whimsical or weird things that happen to them. Momentary helps you savor and remember the small moments that make daily life so interesting and beautiful.
Where did the idea come from?
The service is based on ideas from the emerging field of positive psychology, which aims to understand what makes people happy, productive, and fulfilled. Scientists have shown that focusing on the positives in your life can dramatically improve the quality of your life. For example, see this study on happy nuns who lived longer than their more negative peers. Or this study in which scientists magically turned unlucky people into lucky people.
How much does it cost?
Normally, Momentary costs $20 a year. But – for a very short time – we are offering free lifetime memberships to new users who will try it out and help us improve our service. Standard rates apply to the text messages you send and receive.
Who are you?
Tim DeRoche, the founder and president of Momentary, studied cognitive neuroscience at Pomona College and UCLA. He can be reached at tim [at] momentary.org. Jaime Kurtz, the founding member of our Advisory Board, holds a Ph.D. in social psychology from the University of Virginia. Dr. Kurtz has taught at Reed College, Pomona College, and will be an assistant professor of psychology at James Madison University starting in the fall.

The site was designed by Ryan Anderson and built by MPLS Marketing.

Our Director of Marketing is Kendra Racouillat (kendra [at] momentary.org), and our Director of PR is Amy Shea (amy [at] momentary.org).

How can we contact you?
The best way to reach us is via email. We promise to respond in 24 hours.

help [at] momentary.org - to report a problem

suggestions [at] momentary.org - to suggest a prompt

feedback [at] momentary.org - for general feedback

info [at] momentary.org - for general inquiries
How many prompts will I receive every day?
Our standard service sends you 1-2 messages between the hours of 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. We are working on an upgrade that will allow you to request a specific number of messages every day.
Why does each prompt come from a different address?
We have found that this is the only way we can reliably match your response to the question that you are answering.
Which method is better, text or email?
We recommend that you try our mobile service first. If you decide that email works better for you, you can change to email at any time by logging in to My Account on our web site.
How do I turn messaging off?
You can turn messaging off by texting “inactive” in response to any one of your prompts (or by logging in to My Account). Similarly, you can turn messaging back on by texting “active” in response to any one of your prompts. You can also delete your account (and all of your entries) at any time on the My Account page.
Who sends them out?
The messages are sent by our server in Minneapolis.
How long can my response be?
No more than 160 characters (a standard text message). We want you to respond spontaneously and without too much thought. Don't worry about making it sound perfect.
What happens if I don't respond?
Nothing. If you can’t think of answer, just ignore the prompt (or delete it). It will not appear in your journal. That said, we have found that users who have higher response rates generally report higher levels of satisfaction with the service.
Why are the prompts formatted the way that they are?
Each prompt begins as an email and is converted to a text message by your mobile carrier. Every mobile carrier has their own protocols for the delivery of these messages, so we do not have full control of how the prompt appears on your phone.
Who can see my journal?
Your journal is just for you, and it is completely private and confidential. We will never share the contents of your journal with anyone else, and Momentary staff cannot view the private journal entries of our users.
Can I edit my responses?
Yes. You can edit any response by replying to the original prompt. Your new response will replace your old response. When we upgrade Momentary in the next few months, we will offer you the ability to edit entries directly on the journal page.
How do I see older posts?
To browse your journal, click on the "Previous Week" or "Next Week" buttons at the top of your journal page when you are logged in.
Can I download the contents of my journal?
Yes, the contents of your journal belong to you, and we're happy to give you an electronic copy at any time. Just send an email with your request to help [at] momentary.org. In the future, we will offer an automated process for downloading your journal.
  1. Be playful and creative with your responses!
  2. Turn messaging off by texting “inactive” in response to any prompt
  3. Turn messaging back on by texting “active” in response to any prompt
  4. Feel free to ignore any prompt that doesn’t inspire you
  5. Respond to each prompt immediately, or…
  6. Respond to all your prompts before you go to sleep at night, or…
  7. Find a quiet moment to respond to a bunch of prompts at once
  8. Download your journal by emailing “info [at] momentary.org”
  9. Review your journal at least once a week to reflect on your moments
  10. Check back soon for upgrades to our service!
It is while you are patiently toiling at the little tasks of life that the meaning and shape of the great whole of life dawn on you. ~Phillips Brooks