One Phone Call Changed My Entire Day

Photo Credit: Molly Kay Photography

Last week, I did something crazy. I picked up my phone and called someone I haven't spoken to in a while. Crazy, right?

I called her because she just graduated with her second degree and I thought she would appreciate a call. Plus it would be great to hear her voice.

Of course, I liked her Instagram post like everyone else, but I wanted to use this as an opportunity to let her know how proud I was of her and how awesome she is.

This is a girl that I met early on at USC in my freshman year. She was my first date to a fraternity event. She's one of those people that just makes you smile when you're around her and she's left an impression on me ever since. She loves people and cares so much and you can't help but appreciate her awesomeness.

So when I called her, I was a little nervous. We hadn't seen each other in a while and we definitely hadn't talked on the phone. But it felt like the right thing to do, so I went for it.

Just as you might expect, she answered pretty surprisedly but over the next few minutes, we got to chatting and had a great conversation catching up and sharing a few laughs.

At the end of the convo, we agreed to meet up whenever we were in the same area next. Then we hung up and went our separate ways.

After I hung up, I felt excited and rejuvenated. I reached out just to say congratulations, but that simple act led to reconnecting with someone I respect and enjoy. It made me feel good to know that I put a smile on her face by calling her.

A few days went by and then it happened. She sent me a text sending me an air hug and letting me know how much she appreciated the call. When I got this text, my whole energy shifted. I felt appreciated, heard, and most of all, I felt grateful for our friendship. 

I don't think this call is going to make us best friends or create a drastic change in either of our lives, but my phone call and her text several days later made an impact on each of us. A simple act can have a profound impact.

Which got me thinking...

Why don't we do this more often? Why don't we take a second to tell someone we appreciate them? Why don't we take a few minutes to tell someone congratulations? Why don't we take a second to tell our significant other or our family that we love them? Why don't we take a second to thank our team members at work for their hard work?

So to bring it all together, here's your challenge. Pick up the phone and call someone. Tell them how much you appreciate them, love them, value them, etc. 

Then, do this every day and watch how much happier you are. 

Jake Kelfer is a lifestyle entrepreneur and life elevator. He is the bestselling author of Elevate Beyond and Elevate Your Network and a high energy inspirational speaker on a mission to elevate and motivate millions of people to achieve their definition of success. He is the founder of the Professional Basketball Combine which helps NBA draft prospects turn their dreams of playing pro basketball into their reality. He and his work have been featured on Forbes, Sports Illustrated, ESPN, NBC Sports, USA Today, Bleacher Report, and many other major media outlets. Connect with Jake on social @jakekelfer