In my file box of greeting cards, I have so many bereavement ones. And there’s a sad reason why. I have bought them for people and then forgotten to send them. Then so much time passed that I felt guilty about sending them. So, they sit in my file box and haunt me when I open it. 

We put so much pressure on ourselves to send the “perfect” card at the “right” time. But when it comes to sympathy, I’ve found that timing matters far less than intention. A note that arrives a month or two later tells someone their person is still remembered. That kind of thoughtfulness can be the comfort they treasure most–especially when the notes have stopped coming, the meal train has ended, and all the formal activities of saying goodbye have passed. 

I’ll be honest. I’m not usually a new year’s resolution gal. I envy people who can RESOLVE to do things and then just like…do them?

However, I do love to reflect. I’m a look back and make meaning kind of gal. But with all the excitement of building HeyDay, it prompted me to do a little of both.

2025 was a big year. It brought me the opportunity to join the HeyDay team and help build something awesome that will come to life in 2026.

So, as one year comes to an end and another begins, I wanted a simple way to pause and reflect. We built a short, printable reflection to look back on who showed up for you in 2025 — and think ahead to how you want to show up for the people who matter most in 2026.

The end of the year has a way of slowing us down — even just enough to notice what usually flies by.

In the middle of the holiday rush, gift lists, and packed calendars, many of us instinctively start to reflect. We think about the year behind us and the moments that mattered most.

And often, those moments have something — or rather someone — in common.

So here’s a simple question to sit with for a moment:

Who showed up for you this year?

Let’s be honest: we know we can be tough to please. We want our spouses and significant others to “just know” what we like without having to spell it out—and sometimes, even when they get close, it still misses the mark. 

Cue two people feeling disappointed: our sweet significant other because the thoughtful effort didn’t land (and it feels like a test they failed), and us, because we wish it had landed. 

Cue the guilt when we feel like a jerk who can’t just be grateful. 

That’s not anyone’s fault—it’s human. But it’s also where HeyDay comes in.

One of the reasons we’re building HeyDay is simple: I want to use it myself.

There are so many moments when someone does something kind or goes above and beyond, and I want to acknowledge it. The school volunteer who practically lives at the PTO table. The coworker who saved the project at the eleventh hour. The neighbor who helped finish that home project you’d been putting off for months.

You know these people. You look at them and think: Do they have a job? Do they ever sleep? It doesn’t make me want to become them (let’s not get carried away), but it does make me want to recognize them.

We’ve all seen it — that post making the rounds again:
“Pro tip: yell out exactly what you want for Christmas near your partner’s phone and wait for Facebook to send pop-up ads their way.”

And honestly? Not the worst plan. 😂

Because if you’ve ever whispered “cashmere sweater” within 10 feet of your partner’s phone and suddenly found your feed filled with ads for luxury knits — you know Big Tech is listening (and maybe doing a slightly better job at hint-dropping than most of us).

I knew my social media survey was going to be a little awkward. I intentionally asked people if they would say something to someone in some pretty extreme situations—broccoli in their teeth, toilet paper trailing behind them, a “bat in the cave” (cave=nose 😉). Cringe-worthy, yes. But here’s the funny thing: most of us want people to tell us about those things. Broccoli? Yes, please. Fly down? Absolutely. Toilet paper on my shoe? For the love of all that is holy, tell me.

Ever since we started building HeyDay, I see reminders everywhere of why this work matters. Maybe it’s the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon (aka the frequency illusion)—once you notice something, you see it everywhere. Or maybe it’s just midlife, when everything feels different. Or maybe it’s the complexity of the world we’re all living in right now. It feels like everywhere I turn, HeyDay is showing up in small ways.

If you’re family, this is your cue to stop reading. I mean it. Go watch Dateline or check your weather app again—anything but this. Because I’m about to be honest in a cheeky, slightly too real way, and I love you all too much for you to take it personally. Let’s talk about October. The “fun fall” month that pretends to be cozy but is actually just a warm-up for holiday chaos. The mental load alone could qualify as a haunted house. Between birthdays, early gift planning, and coordinating what everyone else is buying, I’m basically the Chief Gift Officer of my family.

Okay, I’m going to describe a friend to you. Ask yourself -Do I have one of these? Am I one of these?  This best friend is always thoughtful, endlessly organized, and somehow knows exactly what to say (and when to say it). She remembers your mom’s birthday, your favorite snack, and the exact way you like your coffee (with half and half!). She’s the first to send a text when she knows you’ve got a big day ahead—and the first to drop a little something in the mail just when you need it most. Do you have that friend? Then you’re pretty lucky. 

“I should send you a thank-you for your thank-you.” 

That’s a real thing a friend said to me once. It made me laugh, but it also made me realize how much I love showing appreciation.  It’s the best feeling to see someone’s face when they realize you not only remembered them but also remembered the Detail. The Date. The Occasion. The Preference. The Thing.  Good or bad. Big or small. Their favorite coffee shop or restaurant or shade of blue.