Being an intentional friend is something to aspire to.
It’s the friends who remember, and the friends who notice. It’s the girlfriends who follow up and encourage. They’re not just being kind, they’re being intentional. Intentional is a buzzword in our current conversation. We are reading it, we are hearing it… but we want to start living it.
Studio 5 Contributor Kelly Jensen shared her insights on how to be a more intentional friend.
“Being intentional just means thinking ahead and making choices based on what you value – what you believe,” Kelly said.
The Intentional Friend Gets Organized
Being organized is not just about having a tidy desk or a clean house. It’s about planning ahead, setting reminders for important dates, and making an effort to reach out.
“Your friend might have a big presentation, and the night before, if you put an alarm in your phone, you can reach out and say, I know you’re going to kill it,” Kelly said.
The Intentional Friend Creates a Gift Space
Creating a gift space is about more than just giving presents. It’s about paying attention to your friends’ likes and dislikes, their needs and wants, and finding ways to show them that you care.
For example, Kelly said, “I have a friend that loves bright pink. So, when I’m out, I’ll gather little things, something that I can drop off and say, I’m thinking of you.”
The Intentional Friend Sets a Day for Friendship
“If we can set, say, Thursday as your friend day,” Kelly explained, “And you take a little time, every Thursday to drop something off to a friend. Or you send some texts. Or you check in. Or you take time to organize your phone with important dates.” By dedicating a specific day to friendship, we can ensure that we are making time for the people who matter most to us.
The Bottom Line: Just Ask
At the end of the day, just ask.
“How can I be a better friend to you? What do you need when you have hard things happen? Do you need to be alone? Or do you want me to crawl into bed with you and watch a chick flick and eat ice cream? What is the best thing I can do to make you feel loved? Just ask,” Kelly emphasized.
Find more inspiration from Kelly on Instagram, @kellyejensen.
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