Happy HeyDays!
Who Showed Up for You This Year?
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?
Not just in the highlight moments, but in the ordinary ones, too.
Showing Up Doesn’t Always Look Big
When we think about people “showing up,” it’s easy to picture the obvious things — being there during a crisis, celebrating a milestone, helping in a moment of need.
But showing up is often quieter than that.
It might look like:
A friend who checked in consistently, even when they didn’t know what to say
A sibling who helped shoulder something heavy without being asked
A neighbor who made life feel a little easier in small, steady ways
A group of people — friends, family, coworkers — who together formed a kind of safety net
Sometimes it isn’t one person at all, but a constellation of people who made sure you felt seen, supported, and less alone over the course of the year.
Why These Connections Matter More Than We Realize
There’s a growing body of research confirming what many of us feel instinctively: strong social connections are essential to our health and well-being.
A December 2024 blog post from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, “The importance of connections: Ways to live a longer, healthier life,” summarized decades of research with a clear conclusion:
Social connection helps people live longer, healthier lives. Social disconnection, on the other hand, is associated with higher risks of heart disease, stroke, anxiety, depression, dementia — and even premature death. Loneliness and social isolation have been shown to increase the risk of early mortality by more than 25%.
And this isn’t just about the number of people we know.
Research consistently shows that it’s the quality of our relationships — feeling understood, supported, and valued — that has the greatest impact. Even a small circle of meaningful connections can make a profound difference.
The Quiet Cost of Disconnection
Despite knowing how important connection is, many of us are feeling more disconnected than ever.
Life is busy. Emotional labor is real. We intend to be thoughtful, to reach out, to say thank you — but good intentions often get buried under the weight of everyday demands.
And yet, the absence of connection carries a cost.
People delay reaching out because they don’t want to interrupt. They assume others already know how much they’re appreciated. They plan to say something meaningful someday — and someday quietly slips by.
This Is Where HeyDay Comes In
At HeyDay, we believe that connection doesn’t have to be complicated to be meaningful. HeyDay is about helping people have more of their best days — with and for the people who matter most.
We chose the name HeyDay intentionally. It plays on both:
“Hey” — as in hi, how are you, I’m thinking of you
“Day” — a reminder that time passes and moments matter
A heyday is a moment of meaning, presence, and joy — the kind of day you want more of, and the kind of relationships you want to nurture.
At its heart, HeyDay is a simple prompt:
Connect today, not just someday.
A Small Moment That Matters
So before the year turns over completely, we invite you to pause for just a moment.
Think back over the last year. Notice who showed up for you — big or small, once or consistently.
And then, if you can, let them know. It doesn’t need to be perfect or eloquent.
A text
A call
A short note or voice memo
A video you send them
Just a simple acknowledgment: “You mattered to me this year.”
Those words have more power than we often realize.
So before the holidays pull you back in, take a moment to reach out to that person (or people) who came to mind.
Jill shared her example on our HeyDays Instagram and Facebook accounts.
Check out one of the posts and then give some much-deserved shoutouts to your own #HeyDayHeroes.
Here’s to more connection, more presence, and more HeyDays — one moment, one person, one day at a time.