Privacy Policy

Effective date: July 10, 2026 • Last updated: July 11, 2026

This Privacy Policy describes how myhappiness.com (“we,” “us,” or “this site”), the official website for the book Cultivating Happiness by Sanjiv Sahay, and the Cultivating Happiness mobile app for iOS and Android (the “App”) collect, use, and protect your personal information. We are based in California, and this policy is written to comply with the California Online Privacy Protection Act (CalOPPA) and to reflect the privacy principles of the California Consumer Privacy Act as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act (CCPA/CPRA).

The short version: we collect very little. On the website, we ask for your email address only if you choose to subscribe to updates. In the App, everything you record stays on your phone unless you choose to create an optional account for backup and sync. We never sell your personal information, and you can unsubscribe, delete your account, or ask us to delete your information at any time.

Information We Collect

Information you provide

If you subscribe to book updates or contact us, we collect your email address and any information you include in your message (such as your name). Providing this information is entirely voluntary.

Information collected automatically

Like most websites, our hosting provider may automatically log basic technical information when you visit, such as your IP address, browser type, device type, pages viewed, and the date and time of your visit. These logs are used for security and to keep the site running properly, not to identify you personally.

Cookies and analytics

This site does not currently use advertising cookies or tracking pixels. If we adopt an analytics service in the future (such as Google Analytics) to understand aggregate site traffic, that service may use cookies to collect anonymized usage data. If that happens, we will update this policy to name the service and explain your choices. You can also block or delete cookies at any time through your browser settings.

The Cultivating Happiness Mobile App

Local-first by design

The App works entirely without an account. Everything you record in it — tracked practices and check-ins, journal entries, self-assessment answers and scores, and meditation sessions — is stored only on your device. The App contains no advertising, no analytics, and no tracking, and it does not send this information to us or to anyone else. Reminders are generated locally on your phone; no notification data leaves the device.

Optional account and sync

If you choose to create an account (email address and password) to back up your data and sync it across devices, the App data described above is transmitted over an encrypted connection (HTTPS/TLS) and stored with our backup provider, Supabase. Your data is protected by per-user access controls (row-level security), which means it is accessible only to you when signed in to your account. We do not read, analyze, sell, or share the contents of your journal, assessments, or other App data, and we do not use it for marketing, advertising, or any purpose other than providing the backup and sync service you requested.

Deleting your App data

You are in control at all times. “Delete account & server data” in the App’s settings immediately and permanently removes your account and every piece of your data from our servers; data on your phone is unaffected. You can separately erase all local data on your device from the same settings screen. If you never create an account, your data never leaves your phone, and deleting the App deletes your data.

How We Use Your Information

• To send you the updates you signed up for, such as book release news and related resources.
• To respond to messages and inquiries you send us.
• To maintain the security and performance of the site.

We do not use your information for automated decision-making or profiling, and we do not send marketing on behalf of third parties.

We Do Not Sell or Share Your Personal Information

We do not sell your personal information, and we do not share it with third parties for cross-context behavioral advertising, as those terms are defined under the CCPA/CPRA. We have not sold or shared personal information in the preceding 12 months, and we have no plans to do so. Because we do not sell or share personal information, no “Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information” opt-out is required — but if that ever changes, we will provide one.

Service Providers We Use

We disclose personal information only to service providers who help us operate the site, and only for that purpose:

• Email and form services (such as Mailchimp or Formspree), which store subscriber email addresses and deliver our updates. These providers are contractually limited to processing your data on our behalf.
• Backup and sync infrastructure (Supabase), which stores App account email addresses and synced App data on our behalf if you create an optional App account. Supabase processes this data solely to provide the backup and sync service.
• Website hosting, which maintains standard server logs as described above.

This site links to third-party sites such as Amazon and social media platforms. Once you leave our site, those companies’ own privacy policies apply. We encourage you to review them.

Your California Privacy Rights

As a small author website, we may not meet the business thresholds that make the CCPA/CPRA legally binding on us. We nonetheless voluntarily honor the following rights for all visitors, California residents or not:

• Right to know: ask us what personal information we hold about you and how it is used.
• Right to delete: ask us to delete your personal information, including your email address from our subscriber list.
• Right to correct: ask us to fix inaccurate information.
• Right to opt out: unsubscribe from emails at any time using the link in any email we send, or by contacting us.
• Right to non-discrimination: we will never treat you differently for exercising any of these rights.

To exercise any of these rights, email us at the address below. We will verify your request by confirming it comes from the email address on file and respond within 45 days.

“Shine the Light” disclosure

California Civil Code Section 1798.83 permits California residents to request information about disclosure of personal information to third parties for their direct marketing purposes. We do not disclose personal information to third parties for their direct marketing purposes.

European Privacy Rights (GDPR)

If you are located in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, or Switzerland, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and its UK equivalent give you additional rights. We process your personal data on the following legal bases: your consent when you subscribe to email updates (which you may withdraw at any time), and the performance of a contract when you create an optional App account and use the backup and sync service you requested. We do not use your data for profiling or automated decision-making. Under the GDPR you have the right to:

• Access and portability: request a copy of the personal data we hold about you in a commonly used, machine-readable format. App users can also export all of their data at any time from the App’s settings.
• Rectification: ask us to correct inaccurate personal data.
• Erasure: ask us to delete your personal data. App users can delete their account and all server data instantly in the App’s settings.
• Restriction and objection: ask us to limit how we process your data, or object to processing based on legitimate interests.
• Withdrawal of consent: unsubscribe or withdraw consent at any time; this does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.

Our website and backup provider store data on servers in the United States. Where personal data is transferred out of the EEA or the UK, our service providers rely on recognized safeguards such as the EU Standard Contractual Clauses and, where applicable, the EU–US Data Privacy Framework. To exercise any of these rights, contact us at the address below; we will respond within one month. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection supervisory authority.

Do Not Track Signals

Some browsers transmit “Do Not Track” (DNT) signals. Because this site does not track visitors across third-party websites, it does not respond differently to DNT signals — there is no tracking to turn off. We also do not permit third parties to collect personally identifiable information about your online activities over time and across different websites when you use this site.

Children’s Privacy

This site and the App are intended for a general adult audience and are not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, contact us and we will delete it promptly. We do not sell the personal information of anyone, including consumers under 16 years of age.

Data Retention and Security

We keep subscriber email addresses only for as long as you remain subscribed. When you unsubscribe or request deletion, your information is removed from our active mailing list. Synced App data is kept only for as long as your App account exists and is deleted immediately when you delete your account. We use reputable service providers that employ industry-standard security measures; however, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Changes to This Policy

If we make material changes to this Privacy Policy, we will post the updated policy on this page and revise the “Last updated” date above. If we hold your email address and the change materially affects how your information is used, we will also notify you by email before the change takes effect.

Contact Us

For questions about this policy or to exercise your privacy rights, contact:

Sanjiv Sahay
myhappiness.com
Email: sanjivs77@gmail.com