We’ve all dated someone that doesn’t seem like it can get past the “friend zone.” AKA You’ve been dating for a little while but you’re not sure if this person is just a friend or if there’s something more there for the long-term.
Friendship is a foundational part of any relationship. However, as we move into our mid and late twenties, more of us are starting to get serious about our relationships. It’s the time of life where our generation is starting to settle down.
So how do you know if a relationship is something more than “just friends”?
Here are some of the signals how I knew my relationship was more than “just friends”:
1. Your interactions don’t feel shallow or muted.
There is certainly a difference in hugging a friend and hugging a lover–even if that friend is one with benefits. You’ll know when hugging, kissing, and being intimate with one another seems very sustained and not just an in-the-moment feeling.
Interactions with your significant other should feel promising, even if it’s just good morning or good night kiss.
2. Previous Relationships: Being in love versus just loving.
Going off of previous relationships can tell you how the relationship you’re in right now is more than “just friends.” You used to try and make them work, but something was missing. Romance. A real connection.
There is a difference between loving someone and being in love with them.
Dating someone doesn’t always mean you’re in love with them, you could just love them. And that’s the one realization you’ll have when you’re more than “just friends.”
3. You talk about your next steps as a couple.
Taking the next steps of life by moving in with one another shows that you’re more than just friends.
Moving in together means spending more time on a daily basis, sharing all of your belongings, and opening yourself to new life adventure. Not all people can just pick up and take off to a new place without feeling 100% comfortable with the other person.
Sure, we’ve all had our sleepovers in college, but moving in with someone changes your relationship while taking it to the next level.
4. Spending the future together feels like an exciting possibility.
You know things are serious between you and your significant other when the future plans start being apart of every day small talk. Future talks could include your next move, marriage, or kids.
How do you know when it’s real? You will know it’s real when bringing up the future doesn’t feel pressured or rushed when you’re both on the same page.
Future talks can happen even when you’re joking around like how your kids will probably be crazy little ones or if their hair will be curly like one of you. These are the moments when you know you’re more than just friends.
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Once you’re in a relationship where you know you’re more than just friends, it allows the relationship to progress. Talking about your future plans and feeling those fireworks when you come home every day is what puts your mind at ease knowing that it is real.
About the Author
Karli is a West Virginia University graduate with a B.S. in Public Relations and a minor in Business Administration. She is a content writer and public relations specialist at a web design company in Oklahoma. In her free time, you can find her blogging, watching sports, drinking wine and coffee, working out, and loving floral everything. She hopes to own a small business one day.
Website: www.madambeautymark.com/