Daymaking: The Uplifting Gift We Also Give Ourselves

Genuine acts of kindness can be transformative—for both the giver and the receiver. I’ve experienced this life-altering impact myself. Perhaps you already know my story, but decades ago, a client was silently contemplating ending her life when she sat down in my chair. In the brief time we shared, however, she felt held when she needed it most and ultimately changed her mind.

Later, she wrote to me about what had transpired, and that experience taught me something I didn’t fully understand until that moment: I have the power to hold space for others in a way that is healing, not by having all the answers, but by simply being present.

It showed me that I don’t have to fix someone to help them. I don’t have to say the perfect thing. What matters most is the energy I bring; the calm, the compassion, the willingness to stay in the moment with someone when they need it most.

I came to understand that listening—truly listening—is a form of love.

That moment, so many years ago, revealed to me a deeper part of myself, the Daymaker within. I’ve carried that awareness into every relationship, every interaction, every space I’ve entered ever since.

Being a Daymaker also means refilling our cup

Of course, consistently lifting up others means we must first lift ourselves. Not in a selfish way, but in a deeply intentional, restorative way. You can’t pour from an empty cup, and you certainly can’t brighten someone else’s day if your own light is burned out.

Because Daymaking isn’t a task, it’s a way of being. And for that to be sustainable, we must nourish the source: ourselves.

How?

1. Tend to our inner world
   Reflection, solitude, journaling, prayer, or meditation: whatever helps us return to center. When we take time to listen inward, we connect to our why, and that fuels our ability to show up with intention for others.
2. Prioritize rest and recovery
   Daymakers need energy—not just physical energy, but emotional energy, too. Sleep, stillness, nature, laughter, boundaries: these are not luxuries, they’re necessities—they refill our reserves so we can give from overflow, not depletion.
3. Surround ourselves with uplifters
   The people we choose to be around shape our spirit. When we surround ourselves with kindness, courage, and creativity, we’re more likely to reflect that same energy back into the world.
4. Practice self-compassion
   We will fall short. We’ll have tired, distracted, overwhelmed days. But when we offer ourselves grace, we stay in the game. We remember we’re human, and that humility actually deepens our impact.
5. Celebrate the small wins
   We often forget to pause and honor the impact we’ve made. A smile returned. A stranger’s gratitude. A co-worker’s lighter heart. These moments matter; recognizing them helps us keep going.

Daymaking for others often makes our day, too

The simple act of being present for others can fill you up in a way that’s hard to explain but easy to feel.

It’s a quiet kind of joy, not loud or boastful, but deeply satisfying. You’re reminded that you have the power to create light, even in the smallest moments. When you intentionally make someone else’s day better, something beautiful happens inside of you, too.

1. You feel more connected
   It pulls you out of your own head and anchors you to another human being. In that moment of giving, you remember that we’re all in this life together.
2. You feel purposeful
   Even if the day has been chaotic or hard, that one act of kindness reminds you that your presence matters. You made a difference. That’s powerful.
3. You feel more like you
   There’s a deep alignment that happens when your actions match your heart. Being a Daymaker often feels like coming home to the best version of yourself.
4. You feel lighter
   It’s amazing how doing something kind for someone else can lift your mood. The simple shift from focusing outward instead of inward is like a reset for the soul.

In the end, Daymaking leaves you with the kind of joy that lingers—not because you were thanked, but because you gave something real. And the beautiful irony is this: when you make someone else’s day, you often end up making your own.

Kindness is disruptive, in the very best way

In a world conditioned to move fast and stay guarded, a small gesture of thoughtfulness can stop someone in their tracks. It awakens something ancient and sacred in us: our universal need for love, belonging, compassion, and joy.

And when you give that gift to others, you often realize—you were missing it, too.

Even on ordinary days, we can all offer something extraordinary just by showing up with an open heart; by choosing to see, hear, and care for others with no agenda but, rather, with love.

David Wagner
Founder/Daymaker
JUUT Salonspas

*Read Daymaking Can Change Someone’s World (and Yours), David’s first post in this three-part series.