Is it possible for a friendship to turn into romantic relationship
Can friends become lovers? This is probably one of the first thoughts that came to your mind. And even if they can, there’s the obvious fear of things turning awkward if your friend does not have the same feelings for you.
But let’s address this pressing question. The truth is that if the person you have strong romantic feelings for is already your friend, it’s a good thing! How and why? It’s because a close friendship lays a solid foundation for a romantic relationship!
Think about it: you already know them quite well. You know that they have great qualities (which is possibly why you caught feelings, to begin with), and you know and accept the flaws too. Hopefully, your friend also knows and accepts you as a whole.
So, there won’t be this need to be the best versions of yourselves in that initial phase of infatuation and attraction in the relationship!
It’s possible for a friendship before relationship situation to happen. Falling in love with your best friend can be real.
But the catch is- Does your friend feel this attraction for you? Do they want to be in a romantic relationship with you? Well, there are signs of friendship turning into romantic relationship.
What is Relationship?
The relationship is a general term that is used to express any relations between different individuals. Some of the examples of connections between various stakeholders include love, friendship, relatives, marriage, and workmates among others. One of the vital aspects to deliberate is that a relationship can be either legal or through voluntary action.
What is Friendship?
Friendship refers to a kind of relationship between different individuals who care for one another and freely share both positive and bad news. Friendship is usually based and maintained on honesty, trustworthiness, loyalty, compromise, and unconditional favor among others.
Why Friendship in a Relationship Matters
The question of friendship between men and women is nothing new. Some people believe they can be “just friends,” while others don’t think it’s possible. In reality, there’s no clear cut answer. It’s a topic that could go either way depending on the person and the situation.
But when it comes to friendship and relationships, the connection is clear: working to strengthen friendship in a marriage or other long-term relationship is a critical part of making a relationship last.
Friendship is at the core of any strong relationship. Research has shown that a high quality friendship in a marriage is an important predictor of both romantic and physical satisfaction. Couples who are friends report higher levels of happiness in their relationships than couples who aren’t. Some research has even found that friendship in a marriage is five times more important than physical intimacy.
Difference Between Friendship and Relationship
1* Terms of Existence
Relationships are partly governed by the terms of existence while friendships are fully governed by the terms of existence. For example, the level of trustworthiness is very high in friendship than in relationships. If one is not trustworthy, he or she relinquishes the friendship tag, but one can be in a relationship where the level of trustworthiness is shallow. For example, it is possible for one to find that brothers to not talk to each other but their relationship is bound by blood and cannot be terminated despite having a bad relationship
2* Openness in Friendship and Relationship
The level of openness about emotions and feelings tends to vary from friendship to relationship between one individual to the other. The level at which people share their feelings and emotions about various aspects in a friendship seems to be higher as compared to the level at which people share their feelings and emotions in a relationship. One is likely to tell his or her friends about her perspective towards the organization and its leadership, but it is difficult for an employee to say to the manager of the agency how he or she feels about the direction of the company. However, there are exemptions to several types of relationships like love and marriage where people share their emotions and feelings with a high level of openness.
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3* Forms of Existence in Friendship and Relationship
One of the main difference between friendship and relationship is the form in which they are founded. The relationship is based on two types, which include the natural form and the deliberate form. There are those people who are related to natural forms like family members. Additionally, one may enter into a relationship through conscious form, which may include friendship, marriage, and a colleague. This is not the same for friendship because it is only based on one form, which is the deliberate form. This means that people choose to be friends, but they are not obligated to be friends by natural aspects
4* Legal Aspect of Friendship and Relationship
The legal aspect exists in a relationship but does not exist in a friendship. In case of disagreement between business parties, family members, or marriage, one can seek legal intervention to solve the dispute while at the same time allowing the law to enforce the legal values. This explains why there exist written documents in various types of relationships like marriage, business partners, and employee versus an employer relationship. The relationship is highly based on a contractual basis or legal aspect rather than emotional appeal. On the other hand, the legal element is not available and cannot intervene in case of disputes between friends. It is essential for individuals to understand that one cannot legally challenge the mutual consideration in case of friendship.
5 Signs of Friendship Turning Into romantic(love) relationship
1* The body language between you two evolves
This is probably one of the very subtle signs of friendship turning into love. Body language is a subtle thing to notice because it’s completely non-verbal. But does that previously platonic arm around your shoulder feel different?
Do you find yourself leaning on his shoulder and feeling different? Do you tend to sit or stand closer to each other than you used to? Watch out for these subtle cues.
2* You suddenly have very long conversations with each other
This depends on the type of friendship you both have shared. If you’ve always been the type of friend that has long conversations, this sign won’t help.
But you’ve been the type of friend who chats frequently, but the conversations haven’t been that long or intense, but now you notice that it suddenly is, then it might be a sign.
3* When something happens, you need them to know first
Do you both have this sudden urge to tell each other anything small or big that happens in your day? And you both feel like the other person has to be the first one to know about it? If so, it’s one of the friends to lovers signs.
4* You two start flirting with each other
You have to understand whether it’s just you two being friendly with each other or is it flirting? With time, if your friend feels the same way, you’ll notice them paying you bunches of compliments, touching you often, making subtle eye contact, and so on.
5* Your common friends know what’s happening
Another surefire sign: your common friends are teasing both of you (directly or in the absence of your friend) about behaving like a couple! It shows that things are not as indirect or unclear anymore. So, think about it.
4 Ways to Go from Friendship to romantic (love) Relationship
If you really are friends then whatever happens, you two can communicate and weather the storm. Love is a delicate thing and building any loving relationship takes time. It can take even longer with friends, as expectations are higher and fear of losing a friend is great. Although there isn’t one “right” way to make the transition, here are 4 tips to go from friend to “in a relationship.”
1* Meet the family.
It’s possible that during your friendship you met each other’s family. If that’s the case, you need to be reintroduced as a couple. Family who may have only thought of you as a friend need to know that your status has changed. If you haven’t yet met the family, a month or two into the relationship is a good time to meet them. Having family on board with your relationship will deepen the bond and make the friend status disappear.
2* Show you care.
Going from friendship to relationship requires you to work on showing you care even more than a friend. Do one thing weekly that shows you care more than just a friend. You can write a handwritten note or card, or buy a small present that shows you were thinking of them. One of the best ways to show you care is by asking, “What can I do for you to help you feel appreciated and loved?” It’s definitely a hard question to get out of your mouth, but asking it may bring surprising answers and a closer bond, especially if the person being asked can feel you are genuine and sincere.
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3* Reassure your partner that you want this relationship.
Since you started out as friends your level of trust and open communication should be more developed. You probably already have the foundation for speaking openly and honestly with each other, but since you are in a relationship now, both parties are likely to be vulnerable and afraid of being hurt or losing a friend. I recommend reassuring your partner once a week for the first three months that you want this relationship. Tell them that you are glad you took the next step and are now dating. Being open about your emotions will relieve any worry and also help you to create an emotional bond on a deeper level.
4* Be patient.
Just because you’re good friends doesn’t mean you’ll be good at dating. Give your new relationship time to blossom. Make sure your expectations aren’t too high. Let your relationship grow slowly. We live in an age where everything moves so fast that we expect instantaneous gratification or we get bored. Relationships and trust develop slowly. We need to have patience to let a relationship grow at its own pace. Some friendships will develop into a relationship at a tortoise’s pace. Let your anxiety go, be patient and remember: Slow and steady wins the race.
Thanks for reading, please share to educate others and don’t forget to like and comment your opinion in the comment section. See you next time and have a blessed day
A life lived in love, will never be dull 