diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..afc91f2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+# --- SMTP Server Settings ---
+# (change if using a service other than GMail for sending alerts)
+SMTP_SERVER = smtp.gmail.com 
+SMTP_PORT = 587 
+
+# --- SECRET Settings ---
+SENDER_EMAIL_ADDRESS =    # the email account used for sending automated alerts
+SENDER_EMAIL_PASSWORD =   # the password for the above-mentioned email account
+RECIPIENT_EMAIL_ADDRESS = # the person who needs to be notified of status changes
+
+# --- VARIABLE Settings ---
+CHECK_INTERVAL_SECONDS = 300 # 5 minutely user activity checks
+ALERT_INTERVAL_SECONDS = 900 # 15 minute trailing window of activity
+                             # + periodicity of Github status updates
+
+# --- GITHUB related vars ---
+
+# you will need to change REPO_URL to reflect the url for your forked repo
+# change ACCOUNT_NAME to reflect your Github account name.
+REPO_URL = "https://github.com/ACCOUNT_NAME/SignsOfLife.git"
+
+# How to obtain a Github Personal Access Token:
+# On Github, click on your user account icon (top right)
+# Select "Developer Settings"
+# Open "Personal Access Tokens" and select "Fine Grained Tokens"
+# Click on Generate New Token
+#   * Name: SignsOfLife
+#   * Expiration: no expiration (NOTE: security risk if leaked) 
+#   * Description: (whatever you want)
+#   * Select "Only Select Repositories" and choose SignsOfLife
+#   * Repository Permissions: Contents (read & write)
+# Click on "Generate Token"
+GITHUB_TOKEN =    # cut and paste your Githiub PErsonal Access Token here
+
+BRANCH = "main"   # there should be no need to change this
+
+# CLIENT ID is used to distinguish statuses from multiple clients (electronic devices
+# being monitored for soigns of life). The client will write status and heartbeat files
+# called state_<CLIENT_ID>.txt and heartbeat_<CLIENT_ID>.txt. You can either simply number
+# your devices (01, 02,...) or give them names here (e.g. 'laptop', 'desktop' etc...).
+CLIENT_ID = "01"  # if you have mo
+
+# These are the files written by your client device
+# At present they are hard coded here. In future I intend to infer them using the CLIENT_ID
+HEARTBEAT_FILE = "data/heartbeats/heartbeat_01.txt"
+STATE_FILE = "data/states/state_01.txt"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 35ce35f..00c3e7c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -102,3 +102,15 @@ User activity state is evaluated over the past 15 minutes. If any activity is de
  - heartbeat.txt must contain a timestamp only.
 
 I welcome pull requests that add Android or Apple iOS signs-of-life monitoring capabilities to the repository.
+
+
+# Github PAT 
+
+User Icon - top right
+Developer Settings
+Personal Access Tokens  - Fine Grained
+Set for individual repo (SignsOfLife)
+Permissions:
+ - Read access to metadata (mandatory)
+ - Read and Write access to code (required to push status updates to repo)
+