The story behind Pause & Wish

I've kept wishlists for years. Not because I had to, but simply because I enjoy it. And I'll be honest: I'm someone who is easily influenced, and I secretly love it when people give me something I would have picked myself.

What started as an ordinary list slowly turned into something far more useful. I scrolled through Instagram and TikTok, saw lovely things everywhere, and sometimes bought them on impulse without really thinking. By now I probably own five lipsticks in almost exactly the same shade, each bought in a moment when I thought "I don't have this one yet". Looking back, that didn't always feel good.

I wanted to consume less, so I started using my wishlist as a waiting list. Anything I wanted went on the list first and had to wait. Often the urge simply faded. And whenever a birthday came around, my friends and family finally knew what I actually wanted.

But a notes app or a list site full of ads didn't do the job. There was no thinking time, no overview, no calm.

Pause & Wish is the place I was looking for: pause a purchase, let it settle, and see afterwards whether you still want it. What stays becomes a wish you can share with the people you choose.

No ads, no pressure, no dark patterns. I made it for myself first, but I have the feeling plenty of other people will enjoy it too.

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