Activated 100’s of people, got ghosted, and got screamed at. All in service of better Joymaking. Enjoy…

Read on to discover…

• 1 powerful quote from the Joymaker Joy Protocol

• 1 question you can ask for deeper, happier conversations

• 2 big lessons from dancing my heart out and leading a beach parade

• 3 quick tools—consistency, follow up questions, rehearsed stories

We’re in an epidemic of loneliness and digital addiction. The world needs more Joymakers now! So forward this to a friend who loves spreading joy.

1 quote from my new Joymaker Joy Protocol…

Many will see your joy and appreciate it. But there will be a few people who are not receptive. It’s your job to identify them and let them be.

PERSONAL JOY 🧠

• Fall in love with consistency

The body loves sleeping at the same time. your gut microbes love eating the same food. your muscles love exercising at the same time. peak vitality is found in consistency.

INTEPERSONAL JOY 🫂

• Any follow up questions?

This is an invitation to everyone listen to be curious. many people default to changing the topic right after someone shares. this breaks that patterns and activates people’s curiosity.

COMMUNAL JOY ⚡

• Rehearse a story & share it

It doesn’t matter if you’ve told it many times. If it’s a powerful true story about yourself, it has the potential to transform the vibe and open people up.

TRY THIS QUESTION❓

What’s your growth edge?

A friend asked me this recently. I explained it related to my business. Becoming a team leader instead of merely a lone wolf. Accepting help and making this bigger than myself.

This is a great question for people you know and who you’re catching up with. Beware, it may glitch strangers out. But as I’ve said before, the glitch is gold.

LESSONS OF THE WEEK 🎓

How one angry stranger almost stopped us from lighting up hundreds of people

What a roller coaster of an evening.

We began with a sunset huddle where people shared inspiring pep talks about courage, joy, and reawakening the playful spirit that so often gets buried beneath adulthood. The energy was building beautifully when someone standing behind us became visibly upset. She began filming us and expressing her frustration about what we were doing.

It would have been easy to let that moment derail the experience. Instead, I gathered everyone closer together and spoke about one of the most important principles in Joymaking: the ability to bounce back from negative feedback. I reminded the group that if you’re visible, expressive, and trying to positively impact others, some people won’t like it. That’s normal. The goal is not to eliminate criticism. The goal is to stop letting criticism control your behavior.

Afterward, we calmly walked away and continued our mission.

The first group we approached was three teenagers sitting together watching the sunset. We asked a simple question: “Can we perform a dance for you?” Their faces immediately lit up. One of them joined us. They laughed, smiled, and fully embraced the absurdity of the moment.

Then we approached another group.

Then another.

Then another.

Throughout the evening, people stood up from their seats and joined spontaneous dance parties. Some danced for only thirty seconds. Others stayed much longer. Many thanked us afterward. Even people who never participated smiled from the sidelines as they watched what was unfolding.

What struck me most was the contrast. One person expressed negativity. Hundreds responded positively.

Most people allow the one negative interaction to outweigh the hundreds of positive ones. Joymakers do the opposite. They acknowledge the criticism, learn from it when appropriate, and then continue creating experiences that bring people together.

If we had listened to the loudest critic, hundreds of people would have missed an opportunity for connection, laughter, and play.

Key takeaway for Joymakers:
The people you light up will almost always outnumber the people who disapprove. Don’t let the loudest 1% prevent you from creating joy for the receptive 99%.

What getting ghosted taught me about living shamelessly

I was sitting in a sauna having one of those conversations that feels effortless and deeply connected.

At one point, I shared the story of becoming Jacques 2.0 during my time in Guatemala. Then I asked one of my favorite questions: “Was there a moment in your life when everything changed?” The answer was thoughtful, vulnerable, and fascinating.

We laughed together. We smiled together. There was flirtation and genuine connection. Everything appeared to be going wonderfully.

Then I got ghosted.

No explanation.

No conversation.

Nothing.

Years ago, I would have spent days wondering what I did wrong. Now, I see the situation differently.

One of the most liberating realizations I’ve had is that you never truly know what story someone is telling themselves about you. An interaction can feel amazing from your perspective while the other person is interpreting it through an entirely different lens.

Human beings are constantly creating stories.

Sometimes those stories are accurate.

Sometimes they’re wildly inaccurate.

You can show up authentically, communicate clearly, and have great intentions, yet still be misunderstood. Trying to control those narratives is impossible. Letting go of that responsibility is one of the keys to living shamelessly.

The second lesson was about values.

Some people simply don’t value the same things I value. My goal is to become more joyful, playful, expressive, and alive every year. Some people find those qualities inspiring. Others find them exhausting, suspicious, or unnecessary.

Neither perspective is inherently right or wrong.

It’s simply a difference in values.

When someone rejects me now, I rarely ask what’s wrong with me. Instead, I become curious about what they’re optimizing for in life and how their values differ from mine.

That perspective makes rejection much easier to navigate.

Key takeaway for Joymakers:
Rejection is often a reflection of differing values rather than personal inadequacy. The more authentically you embody joy, the easier it becomes to find people who genuinely resonate with your energy.

How we turned a dance circle into a community

Last night, I danced harder than I have in a long time.

A new Joymaker arrived at the event, and her energy inspired me to step up my own. At the beginning of the evening, there were only four of us dancing together. The group felt small, but I knew there was potential for something bigger.

Instead of staying within our circle, I started introducing myself to people around us. I welcomed newcomers, made introductions, and invited people to participate without any pressure.

Gradually, the circle grew.

Four people became six.

Six became ten.

By the end of the night, five new people had joined my Sober Vancouver community.

One of my favorite moments happened when we left our dance circle and began exploring the larger event together. Whenever we found someone standing on the edge of the action, we approached them warmly and encouraged them to join us.

At one point, we found a woman dancing by herself. We surrounded her and began mirroring her movements. Almost immediately, she became more expressive. Within minutes, she was dancing wildly and laughing with the entire group.

The most surprising part of the evening was how often my assumptions were wrong.

Several people initially appeared bored, detached, or uninterested. Once invited into the group, they transformed completely. One woman seemed far more interested in filming the event than participating. Thirty minutes later, she was dancing enthusiastically despite the fact that I was completely drenched in sweat.

Experiences like this continue to reinforce one of my favorite concepts: the social possibility sphere.

Most people dramatically underestimate what is possible in social environments. They assume strangers won’t participate. They assume people don’t want to connect. They assume everyone prefers to stay inside their comfort zone.

In reality, many people are waiting for a socially safe invitation.

Joymakers expand the social possibility sphere for everyone around them. They help people see possibilities they couldn’t previously imagine.

The secret isn’t overwhelming enthusiasm.

It’s grounded warmth.

When people know your name, trust your intentions, and feel welcomed into your community, they become far more willing to participate.

People often have tremendous joy locked inside them.

The invitation is what unlocks it.

Key takeaway for Joymakers:
Never assume someone isn’t interested in connection. Most people are far more playful and expressive than they initially appear. Your invitation may be the catalyst that brings their hidden joy to the surface.

Next week…

Next week, I’ll share lessons from visiting my dying grandma.

— Jacques

You read to the end… You’re one of the rare humans I want at Joymaker Camp. Learn More →

GUIDEBOOKS

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