Escaping the Friend Zone by J.C. Boddington

Still, being in the friend zone can be tough. Whether your friend simply loves you as a friend only or there’s another reason they don’t want to be in a romantic relationship with you, it’s vital to respect their boundaries. It also doesn’t mean that your relationship is any less important or meaningful as a platonic versus romantic one. If someone isn’t interested, it could be helpful to remember that it doesn’t make you less attractive. Remaining friends, even when you want more, might not be a “bad” thing. Alternatively, a person might express their feelings and find out that the desire for a romantic relationship isn’t mutual. Often, both parties remain happy in their friendship, though one is holding on to a potentially game-changing secret. Instead, they may continue the friendship, hiding their true feelings. Fearful of how their friend may take this new development, the person in the friend zone might never discuss their romantic feelings. There are a couple of things that can happen here. One might say that an individual is in the “friend zone” when one person in a friendship develops strong feelings for the other and wants to become more than just friends, but the feelings aren’t reciprocal. Although friends-to-lovers relationships can be exceptional, it’s essential that mutual feelings are there. Then, if you feel like making a move to get out of the friend zone is worth the risk, you might want to proceed with awareness, caution, and most of all, respect. It could be beneficial to take some time to consider your options and properly weigh the pros against the cons. There could be endless 'what ifs' to consider before trying to leave the friend zone and considering a romantic relationship with a friend. There is the possibility you could end up losing a good friend over what could be temporary romantic feelings. Or things might not work out in the long run. The other person may not reciprocate the same feelings, for instance. Flirting with a friend might create challenges.

Escaping the Friend Zone by J.C. Boddington