There are many benefits and features that make dating a best friend pleasurable. New relationships can be awkward and uncomfortable at the beginning, the comfort of dating your best friend skips many awkward stages of a new relationship. This, however, does not mean that dating a friend may not have its challenges.
Following are 5 things to consider when dating a friend by lovestrategies.com.
Remember that good friends don’t necessarily make good romantic partners – Being best friends with the guy does not guarantee a smooth transition into the romantic relationship. Friendship relationships and romantic relationships are not the same, they also require different things from people. In a romantic relationship, you’ve got to communicate effectively, make decisions together, compromise, navigate physical intimacy, understand each other’s love languages, and be committed. You may find you’re not compatible in these ways.
Check to see if you’re on the same page – It is important to have checked for signs that the person is romantically interested in you before you the getting together. Body language such as strong eye contact, mirroring your body, leaning in during the conversation, and finding excuses to break the physical touch barrier are all indications he might like you more than a friend.
Manage your expectations – The nice thing about dating a friend is that you’ve got a solid foundation to build on, and you probably know a lot about each other already. You feel safe with him or her and can have deeper conversations that you probably wouldn’t have with a stranger. While dating a friend might be comfortable, you might worry about it working out, or if the friendship will survive should it not.
How will you navigate the transition from friends to lovers– Before dating a friend, you’ve got to consider how you’ll transition from friends to romantic partners. For example, are you both comfortable with PDA (public display of affection). Are you trialling it out or do you plan to be exclusive immediately?
What if it doesn’t work out – Nobody starts a new relationship thinking it’s not going to work out. It is important however, to consider, before shifting to lovers that should the relationship end, it might be the end of your friendship. This doesn’t mean that you might not work as friends if you decide to revert instead of being lovers, but it is important to consider.
Also see: Finding yourself after a breakup
