So the story was told about Jane and Charles.
How did it go?
Jane found out, not too long after she and Charles got talking, that she may be in love with him.
Amazing!
But the challenge that faced her was the fact that it was pretty clear that Charles didn’t share her emotional attraction.
He was only interested in being friends with her.
Jane weighed her options and realized that she really wanted to maintain her friendship with Charles, but didn’t know how to do it with the emotions constantly tugging at her heart.
Jane isn’t the only one in this kind of trouble.
There are many men and women all over the world who are in love with their friends and do not know how to preserve the friendship along with the emotional attraction they feel.
And this kind of situation is one that requires carefulness and intentionality to overcome.
For this reason, we have compiled a list of effective ways to stay in friendship with someone you love.
8 Ways To Stay Friends With Someone You Love
1. Set Boundaries
Emotions are not something to be toyed with, especially one as fierce as love.
If you both are serious about not getting romantically involved and keeping the relationship strictly platonic, then you must set boundaries.
Establish clear boundaries to avoid misunderstandings and maintain a healthy friendship.
Define what is acceptable and what isn’t in your relationship.
With these, you can easily know what you should expect from the relationship and what you should not expect from it because the truth is, when we love someone, we expect a lot from them.
And when they do not live up to our expectations, we become hurt.
So, it’s crucial to set these boundaries and respect them in order to save the friendship and keep off conflicts and resentments.
Also, if changes occur within the term of the boundaries, such changes should be communicated properly for necessary adjustments.
2. Focus on the Friendship
You know there’s something called a crush, right?
To make it more direct, “infatuation.”
Now, this is not to say that what you feel for your friend is merely infatuation, but you can never tell these things.
In a case where you both are not ready to commit to each other in a romantic relationship, it is only right that you put your romantic feelings on the back burner and prioritize the friendship.
Try to concentrate on the aspects of your relationship that make you great friends, such as shared interests, experiences, and values.
By doing so, you can create a solid foundation for your friendship to thrive.
And in the process, you may discover that your emotional attraction to your friend was not solid.
3. Respect Their Choices
Respect is really important in any form of relationship.
People want to know that you consider and respect them, and they can only know this by the way you regard their choices, opinions, ideas, etc.
If your friend doesn’t reciprocate your feelings, don’t let it cloud the friendship.
Accept their decision and respect it.
One thing you must never do is pressure someone to get into a relationship with you.
If the person you love doesn’t reciprocate your romantic feelings, it’s essential to respect their choices.
Pressuring them into getting into a romantic relationship with you can damage your friendship and may create unnecessary conflict and resentment.
Beyond this, it may trigger loss or reduction of value and respect between you two.
So, instead of forcing something that may not be bound to happen, be supportive of their decisions and be there for them as a friend.
4. Give Each Other Space
Along with setting clear boundaries, you must also give each other ample space.
Keeping your distance will help you stay in the consciousness that you both aren’t in a relationship and will help you abide within the confines of boundaries.
Aside from that, it is important to have your individual lives and maintain other relationships outside of your friendship.
There are other people in the world and other relationships you must groom.
Don’t suffocate each other like there is nothing else in this world.
Rather, give each other space to grow, pursue personal interests, and spend time with other friends and family.
This can prevent the friendship from becoming overly intense or codependent.
5. Seek Support
Emotions are intense things that are difficult to fight off.
Along with how complex some are, like the situation of wanting to be just friends with someone who you are obviously in love with.
Walking through these complexities can be emotionally challenging and traumatic.
And that’s why you need not walk through it alone.
Consider seeking support from a trusted friend, family member, or even a therapist.
Talking to a neutral person can provide a different perspective on the issue that you may not have considered, and that may be of real value to you.
It can also provide you with the guidance you need to go through it.
6. Be Patient
Friendships evolve over time.
Anything can happen while you wait
Your feelings for your friend may change into something more platonic.
Another thing, your friend may become emotionally attracted to you somewhere along the line and may become open to being in a romantic relationship with you.
Whichever way, learn to be patient and give your friendship the opportunity to develop naturally.
You know, the best relationships are the ones that flow naturally and not the ones that are forced.
Plus, remember that forcing things in the relationship may reduce your value in the eyes of your friend.
And you do not want to be seen as a cheap person who forces yourself on others.
Don’t rush or force things; let people see you, know your value, and decide what role they want you to play in their lives or what relationship they want to keep with you.
7. Practice Self-Care
Taking care of your own emotional well-being is really necessary when maintaining a friendship with someone you love.
You cannot throw away the fact that you are a person who needs to be loved and taken care of because you are chasing someone who isn’t chasing you.
Prioritize self-care and self-love.
This may include pursuing your own interests hobbies, and spending time with other friends.
When you feel good about yourself, you’ll be better equipped to handle the complexities of your relationship.
Plus, the better a person you are, the more attractive you become to someone who is looking at you.
But that should not be your primary reason for getting better as a person.
Do it because you love yourself.
Do it because you’re worth it and even more.
8. Be Supportive
The person you like is your friend and is someone you want to remain friends with.
Don’t let the ill feelings of not being able to be in a relationship with them prevent you from being as good a friend as you can be to them.
Do you know what friends do for each other?
They are always there to support each other through life’s ups and downs.
They show empathy and offer a listening ear when the need arises, and they make sure that their friends know that they are available and willing to do anything within their capacity for them.
That’s how you should be with your friend.
You know, this mutual support can actually strengthen your friendship and create a deeper emotional connection, even if it remains platonic.
Conclusion
Staying friends with someone you love requires effort, understanding, and a commitment to the well-being of the relationship.
One thing you must know is that your emotions are valid; this article does not in any way invalidate your feelings.
But in this situation, your friendship is of greater importance than your emotional attraction, and that is why you prefer to keep it than to ruin it with the complications of a relationship.
You must remember that every relationship is different, so be adaptable and patient as you work to maintain a meaningful friendship with someone you love.