Life & Development Field Report: UI Reset, Night Shifts, and Why I Dropped My Habits July 4, 2026 • By Romi Sometimes, when building a life-management app, your own life spins a bit out of control. This post was supposed to be a standard update on Zenith’s progress. And partly it will be, because we have a huge breakthrough in the app’s design. But I also want to be 100% transparent with you about how brutally reality can test even the best plans. UI Reset: Why We Had to Start (Almost) from Scratch From the very beginning, we designed Zenith with phones in mind. However, the tool we use (Google AI Studio—and just to be clear, AI writes the code, not me) tends to default to building web pages rather than native mobile apps. I always had this feeling in the back of my mind that something was slightly off with the UI. The real turning point happened when a login and synchronization error popped up on my own phone. It turned out we just had to start certain things over. Before the new version completely replaces the old one on our homepage, I am leaving screenshots of the first iteration here. The Brutal Truth: I Should Be a Machine, But I’m Not I have this weird feeling in the back of my head. Since I’m creating an „everything app” for managing life, resolutions, and diet, I should be a perfectly organized machine myself. The truth is quite different—lately, I’ve really dropped the ball on my own habits. My life right now revolves around working three shifts, which feels like changing time zones every single week. In this kind of chaos, it’s easy to fall out of rhythm. Lack of sync is the ultimate motivation killer: It’s a poor excuse to say I dropped my habits because of no cloud synchronization. But on the other hand, the thought that I could check off a task on one device and then lose that data (and my XP) due to a sync error is massively demotivating. This only proves that our gamification makes perfect sense. The fear of breaking a streak is strong, and it shows me that perfecting the data saving system is an absolute priority. Big projects require sacrifices: Building such a complex tool means short-term balance sometimes has to be put on hold. Long-term, however, when Zenith gets on the right track, my habits will return too. What’s Next? TikTok: 8 carousel posts planned for this month to build a 16-post buffer before the official launch. YouTube: A longer video in production about three Polish athletes—stories of resilience and turning failures into strength. Poland: In 10 days, I am off to Poland. If there’s a breakthrough in the project, Patryk and I will record a concrete update. Thanks for being on this journey with me. I’m going to sleep.

Life & Development Zenith Devlog: One Step Back, Two Steps Forward June 22, 2026 • By Romi Welcome back to the Zenith development diaries! The past few weeks have truly tested our patience, but they’ve also taught us invaluable lessons about building a product from the ground up. Here is exactly what’s been happening behind the scenes since early June, and why we decided to tear down a massive portion of our work to rebuild it stronger. The Mystery of the White Screen It all started on my personal Samsung S22. Instead of opening up to a sleek dashboard of long-term goals, habits, and financial tracking, the app greeted me with a completely blank white screen. It just refused to run. After a lot of digging, we finally unmasked the culprit: The Web Trap: Originally, our tech stack relied heavily on tools meant for standard web development. In reality, we were building a web page and forcing it to adjust to a mobile viewport. Compatibility Crashing: Android is highly fragmented. Between custom manufacturer software overlays and specific rendering engines (like Vulkan), the mobile environment simply rejected the web-based backend structure. We had two choices: spend months hunting for obscure, expensive duct-tape fixes that would inevitably break later, or make the hard executive call to rewrite the core of the app. We chose to rebuild. Shifting to React Native To ensure Zenith runs smoothly, natively, and flawlessly on any Android device, we migrated the entire project to React Native. Now, you might think that with modern AI tools, translating code from one framework to another is a breeze—like switching from British English to American English. In reality, the architectural paradigms are entirely different. The AI consistently struggled with the mobile layout folders and state management, meaning I had to manually supervise, correct, and rewrite almost everything. The time I had already invested before? I had to spend it all over again. The silver lining? I already knew the exact blueprint of the app. Because the UI layout and features were crystal clear in my mind, rebuilding the front-end—from the Wallet setup to the Diet and Weight planners—went incredibly fast. Our Current Boss Battle: Sync & Load Times The front-end looks great, and the interface is highly responsive. However, we have run into a massive bottleneck with our cloud database synchronization. Here is exactly what we are battling right now: The Problem What Happens in Practice Session Amnesia Logging into Zenith via a desktop browser works perfectly. But if we try to log in through the Google Play Store build or the Expo Go testing environment using the exact same email, the app treats it as a brand-new session. It completely ignores existing cloud data and forces us to start from absolute zero. Critical Delays The authentication process currently takes about 30 seconds of pure waiting. Furthermore, adding certain items—like tracking a habit or updating an expense category—can take up to a minute to actually process and appear on the screen. This completely paralyzes our ability to run proper quality assurance. Zenith is built around a comprehensive Gamification System—you earn XP for completing tasks, maintain streaks for habits and resolutions, and unlock badges as you level up your life. To see if the Zenith System functions properly over time, we need to use the app continuously. We can’t catch long-term bugs if the system resets our progress every single time we log back in. The Bigger Picture Our singular focus until the end of June is to squash this synchronization bug. Once the app communicates flawlessly with the cloud, we can move directly into full-scale, realistic beta testing. Building an „everything app” that seamlessly unifies long-term goals (like becoming an actor), daily habits (like morning pushups), full weekly diet planning with auto-generated shopping lists, project subtasks, and complete multi-account financial tracking (bank, cash, investments) is an immense undertaking—especially for our first time. Missing our April deadline was a reality check, but it doesn’t change our trajectory. We are not abandoning this project. A note on discipline: Whether you are building an app or building a new life routine, consistency is everything. In the beginning, you put in hours of invisible work, and nothing seems to show for it. But the discipline to keep showing up is what turns a side project into a reality. Want to be the first to level up? Thank you for sticking with us through the code rewrites and the white screens. We’re building this in public, flaws and all, and we can’t wait to show you a smooth, fully operational Zenith very soon. Stay tuned!

Life & Development A Break from Zenith, Italian Chaos, and a White Screen May 23, 2026 • By Romi For the past 10 days, I took a little break from Zenith. Honestly, I just kind of let everything go. It started with technical issues. We released a test version of our app on Google Play, I downloaded it on my main phone, launched it, and… a white screen. Nothing happens. Interestingly, Zenith runs smoothly on my second phone, and Patryk tested the app on two of his devices, and everything works perfectly for him too. It’s just my main phone that decided to go on strike. For those 10 days, I completely disconnected from the project. I didn’t hold myself accountable for my resolutions in the app, and I didn’t check off my habits. And you know what? That’s completely human. Sometimes the system just crashes—the one in the app and the one in our heads. Me in Munich. Behind me residence of Kings of Bayern. The Destination: Italy, a Reset from Everyday Life Adding to this reset was a long weekend here in Germany. Friends flew over, and we went on a very intensive road trip. We started on Wednesday—after picking up the crew from the airport, we went to Munich for a bit, and then back to my place. In Munich, we walked past the American embassy. You can immediately tell it’s their territory—tons of cameras, heavy security, and a police officer with a long gun that looked like it was pulled straight out of World War II. I regret not taking a picture, but I only post my own original photos on the blog, so you’ll have to take my word for it. On Thursday, we headed south. Somewhere in the middle of Switzerland, instead of spring, we were greeted by… snow! Fortunately, it was just for a moment. We stopped by Lugano, which is close to the Italian border, and although there was no snow there, it was really windy and cold. After that, we headed straight for Milan. In Milan, right next to the famous Cathedral of the Nativity of Saint Mary (Duomo di Milano), we sat down in a restaurant. I didn’t want to drink sugary sodas, so I just asked for water. Imagine my surprise when the waiter poured me tap water and brought over a completely wet, dripping bottle because it had obviously spilled while he was filling it. I felt a bit weird, almost as if I had committed some tourist sin, but at least it makes for a good anecdote. On the road in Switzerland Friday in Turin – Hail and Fog on Superga On Friday, we went to Turin, which welcomed us with heavy rain and hail. We had to evacuate and take cover, which made us miss out on some sightseeing—I regret not making it to the Lavazza museum. But the main point of the trip was the Basilica of Superga, located high on a hill. Right at the back of it, there’s a memorial for the 1949 Superga air disaster involving the Torino football team. There are photos of the team and scarves from various clubs waving in the wind. Unfortunately, we hit total fog, so we couldn’t see the famous panorama of Turin from the viewpoint. My friend was really bummed about it, but I looked at it differently. „I told him: think about how many people can say they drove all the way up here and saw absolutely nothing? Most tourists get beautiful sunshine and a perfect view. Our experience—fog completely cutting off the city—is much rarer and more unique!” Panorama of Turin in fog. Saturday in Bergamo – Orange Roofs and Polish Colony On Saturday, we reached Bergamo, and it turned out to be the most „Italian” city from our imaginations. It’s full of that classic, retro style and charming orange roofs. We also took a ride on the very crowded funiculars. Interestingly, there were tons of Polish people everywhere—my friend even joked that it was some kind of Polish colony. You can really see a shift in our society; we finally want to and can travel the world. Bergamo: The classic Italian vibe. I also have to mention Italian drivers. They squeeze in everywhere and can turn two lanes into four. In Poland or Germany, using a horn is a last resort and a stressful situation. In Italy? I got used to the honking on the very first day. Honestly, that dynamic, razor-edge driving didn’t bother me at all and actually kind of resonates with me. Despite the bumped-up cars on the streets, we didn’t see a single accident there. On the way back, I planned a stop in the Swiss town of Chur. When we were driving towards Italy, I saw beautiful mountains surrounding the city from the car windows. Unfortunately, on the way back, we got there after dark. We took a walk, but the night hid that amazing, postcard-perfect view. Chur: A quick stop on the way back. Costs, Fines, and Miscalculations Our trip also included some painful logistics lessons. We bought a year-round vignette for Switzerland, which ultimately ended up being cheaper than the one-off tolls on the Italian highways (granted, we were probably driving on some of the most expensive stretches between Milan, Turin, and Bergamo). Unfortunately, while crossing the German-Swiss border, we forgot about the vignette for… Austria. We drove through there without paying for a mere 30 kilometers. The vignette would have cost €13, and for the lack of payment both ways, we’ll probably pay a fine of around €200. It hurt, but oh well—travel costs. In Zenith, a mistake like that in the Wallet module would have probably blown our budget over the limit! Lugano. At the end, it was our first stop Zenith: What’s Next for the App and Marketing? Now it’s time to get back to reality. As I mentioned at the beginning, we have a bit of a delay with the

Development Diary Reality Check, Coding Myths, and the Marketing Shift May 9, 2026 • By Romi Hey everyone! Today I’m bringing you a short, but brutally honest update from the Zenith app development front. Generally speaking, Patryk has already released a few builds, and we even have early access set up on Google Play. Sounds great, right? Unfortunately, the reality is… I can’t even log in. Patryk is working his magic, but he keeps getting thrown errors. He’s consulting with AI Studio, trying different workarounds, and it’s just a constant loop. Because of this, we can’t start the final testing phase yet. „I recently saw a post online about an 80-year-old guy who supposedly created an app in two weeks. Sure, maybe he 'created’ something, but I highly doubt that without a deeper knowledge of programming and Google’s complex deployment tools, that project ever saw the light of day. Creating the front-end is easy; getting it to actually work for people is the real battlefield.” The truth is, the front-end itself is relatively simple nowadays. You have a live visualization and you just react to the changes the AI implements. They even introduced a feature where you can click a specific element in the app to reference it directly—sadly, that rolled out right after I finished the main UI! I’ll definitely use it for future updates, though, because Zenith will keep evolving. Behind the scenes: Fighting bugs and planning the future of your personal growth. Why I’m Keeping My Hands Off the Code I have a ton of ideas for new features. I definitely want to heavily expand the „Goals” tab, and we have several other concepts waiting in the pipeline. However, at this moment, I have to keep my hands off the app’s code entirely. If I started messing around with the front-end while Patryk is fighting for survival in the backend, it would just create more conflicts and technical debt. We want to launch, not stay in dev-hell forever! Our New Marketing Strategy Since I can’t code right now, I’m shifting 100% of my focus to creating content. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be building our presence on two main fronts: 1. YouTube I have a big plan for YT. I want to create several videos in English that leverage the fact that I’m from Poland. There’s a cool trend right now where Western audiences are fascinated by Poland’s values and growth. I want to use that vibe to talk about discipline and how Zenith fits into that lifestyle. 2. TikTok TikTok will be a bit different. Unlike YouTube, you probably won’t see my face here—at least not primarily. I’m planning to post „faceless” self-development content, like photo carousels with quotes and habits. It’s about pure value and quick inspiration, with a sneaky redirect to Zenith at the end. Keep your fingers crossed for Patryk and his battle with the login errors. We’re getting there! Want to be the first to level up? Stay tuned for the official Google Play release. The journey to the top of your own Zenith is about to begin.

Development Diary Behind the Scenes: Microphone Battles, Labor Day, and Zenith’s First Tutorials May 1, 2026 • By Romi This week was supposed to be highly productive. The plan was clear: record a complete series of video tutorials for Zenith so you guys know exactly how to get the most out of the app. But reality had other plans. I was working the second shift all week, caught a stomach bug (probably from something I ate), and my motivation hit rock bottom. Zero recordings. Zero progress on that front. But that’s exactly what May 1st is for! Instead of kicking back on Labor Day, I rolled up my sleeves, sat down in front of the camera, and decided to finally get it done. „Recording was a battlefield. Halfway through, my microphone completely died. I almost threw in the towel, but decided to charge it and push through. If you’re observant, you’ll notice some 'anomalies’ in the videos. I start recording in a t-shirt and end up in a hoodie because I got freezing cold. I also completely messed up the camera setup—I forgot about the mirror effect on my screen, so instead of sitting neatly on the right side of the phone layout, I’m awkwardly hovering dead center.” What’s Inside the Tutorials? Despite the technical difficulties, I managed to record walkthroughs for the most critical modules of Zenith: The System: How everything connects and works together. Kitchen: Meal planning, diet tracking, and weight management. Finances & Wallet: Accounts, daily expenses, and budget limits. Self-coaching & Gamification: How to earn XP, collect badges, and level up your life. How to Start: A quick guide for fresh users. I not intentionally skipped the „Tasks” section but you`ll probably there will be no trouble with using this. Spot the difference: Yes, that is a random Polish word chilling in our English UI. App Progress: Patryk Crushing the Code While I was fighting with the camera, Patryk (our irreplaceable developer) was hard at work making massive improvements to the codebase this week. I focused on testing and sniffing out bugs. We found some navigation issues, and during my recording session, I actually noticed a stray Polish word tangled up in our English interface! Bugs like this are bound to happen, and we’ll be patching them up as we go. We’re really counting on your feedback to help us catch these little glitches once the app is live. When Can You See the Videos? The tutorials are fully recorded and uploaded to YouTube, but they will remain private until Zenith officially launches on Google Play. Keep your fingers crossed, the release is getting closer!

Build in Public Zenith Launch Update: Why We Are „Late” (And Why It’s Worth It) April 15, 2026 • By Romi I’ll be straight with you: we’re a bit behind schedule. We planned for an April 1st launch, and as I’m writing this, it’s already mid-April and we haven’t hit the Store yet. But there’s a funny reason for it: we keep expanding the app before the world has even seen it. Current state of the Zenith Dashboard – growing every single day. „I’ve had my doubts lately—is the app becoming too big? Will users be overwhelmed when they see so many systems in one place? From the massive Goal system to the Kitchen module, and now our latest additions… it’s a lot. But we’re building a 'Life OS,’ and you can’t manage life without these core pillars.” New: The Workout Atlas & Training Log We realized that if we want Zenith to be the one app to rule them all, we couldn’t ignore fitness. Many of you want to train, and we needed a way to track that within the same XP system. So, this month we added a full-blown Workout module: Custom Exercises: Create your own moves with step-by-step instructions. Active Plans: Build your routine and the app automatically activates your schedule. Live Tracking: When you hit 'Start’, the timer begins. You mark your steps as you go, and Zenith keeps your history and gains in one place. The new Training Log – seamless tracking for your physical evolution. The „Cherry on Top”: Self-Coaching I originally planned to add this as a post-launch update, but things moved so fast with the workout module that I decided to push Self-Coaching live now. This is for the „bird’s eye view” of your life: Audits: Weekly and monthly reflection questions that impact your global stats. Well-being Tracker: Daily mood tracking to see long-term emotional trends. Life Pillars: Real-time ratings of your Health, Relationships, Mindset, Discipline, and Productivity. Self-Coaching stats: analyzing your life pillars from a distance. What’s holding us back? Right now, we are dealing with the boring (but critical) technical stuff. We’re finalizing the Stripe subscription integration and haven’t finished stress-testing Push Notifications yet. These are the last two gatekeepers standing between us and the Google Play Store. We are pushing to have everything wrapped up before the end of April. It’s almost time to start your quest. Ready to master your life? The final polish is happening as you read this. Follow us for the official Google Play link—coming very, very soon.