Are you starting to question what it is that you're feeling toward your friend? While things might have once been completely platonic, things can always change! So if you're wondering if you've developed romantic feelings for your friend, here are 20 boxes you can check off to reflect on your feelings.
1. Increased Interest in Their Personal Life
While it's normal for friends to have some interest in each other's lives, if you start to grow increasingly curious about things beyond typical friendship concerns, you might just be developing a romantic interest in them. It means you're wondering about their feelings and thoughts throughout the day, which is focusing more on a intimate connection rather than a friendly one.
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2. Jealousy When They're with Others
When you see your friend spending time with others on their Instagram story, hearing about it in conversation, or seeing photos without you uploaded on social media, are you feeling jealous at all? If something isn't sitting quite right with you when you experience these things, your relationship might not be as platonic as you once thought it was.
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3. Desire for More Alone Time
Do you find yourself growing more and more interested in spending one-on-one time with your friend rather than in a group setting? If you're making active choices to set up alone time with them, it might just be your inner feelings trying to hint that you're looking for something more special and meaningful. Suddenly, you're not seeing hanging out as just "hanging out."
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4. Physical Touch Feels Different
Hugging, touching, or any form of physical contact might've come to you without a second thought before, but if you're now experiencing strange feelings at the slightest touch, something's clearly changed. You're probably starting to feel hyper aware whenever they're close to you, possibly signaling that your feelings have turned romantic.
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5. They Dominate Your Thoughts
As you go along your day, is your friend randomly popping up in your thoughts? If you're catching yourself thinking about them more and more, for no apparent reason, it might just be because you're missing them. Maybe you're already thinking about the next time you get to see them!
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6. Increased Effort in Appearance
When you go on a first date with someone, one thing everyone does is pay attention to what they're wearing. In other words, people are always trying to dress to impress! So if you're starting to pay closer attention to what you put on when you're just heading out to see your friend, could it be that you're wanting them to notice you?
7. Their Opinion Matters More
While a good friend's opinion will always matter, it's different if you're actively seeking out their feedback much more than before and putting much more weight on it too. Especially if it's about personal matters! It just means you really care about their perspective and that you see them as your go-to person when in need of advice.
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8. Emotional Dependency
Whether you're needing a shoulder to lean on, someone to celebrate with, or someone to just be your brick wall as you vent all your frustrations, who you go to for all these needs can be very telling. It's a sign that you're growing emotionally dependent on them, which could be signaling a shift from a casual friendship to a deep, meaningful one.
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9. Anticipation of Communication
If nervously waiting for a response to your text or call isn't a sign of love, we don't know what is! This feeling is what we like to call the jitters. Suddenly, you can't wait to hear back from them or just have a chance to talk to them! That rush of excitement you get when you see their name pop up on your phone is a clear sign your feelings have become something more than friendly.
10. Imagining a Future Together
Here's a really obvious way to tell if you've fallen for your friend: are you daydreaming about a possible future together? If you're already thinking about the potential "next stages" of your relationship together, it simply means you like them. Platonic friends don't typically dream about each other in this way!
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11. Special Traditions or Inside Jokes
Developing inside jokes that only the two of you understand might be step one of developing something more romantic. While these special traditions and jokes might seem lighthearted and friendly, they're still shared moments that might spark something more. Setting your relationship apart from others already tells you you're with someone very special and dear to you.
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12. Willingness to Compromise More
Going out of your way to make your friend feel more accommodated or comfortable? Yup, you might just have a thing for them. While we're willing to do a lot for our friends, making substantial sacrifices that prioritize their happiness might be your feelings trying to tell you that you see them as more than just a friend.
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13. Increased Nervousness Around Them
Here's another simple way to test your romantic feelings toward your friend - do you feel nervous or self-conscious around them? These physiological responses can't be avoided or reasoned with! Feeling those butterflies in your tummy as we like to say, is evidence that you've developed some deeper feelings.
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14. They're Your "Go-To" Plus One
Anytime you have to go to an event where you can bring a guest, if they're the first person you think of, it means you love their company. Being your automatic first choice can mean a lot! It demonstrates that their presence not only calms you and makes you feel safe and comfortable, but also that it's appreciated and wanted. Those are positive feelings that can easily turn into something romantic.
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15. More Attentive to Their Needs
Wanting to make them feel happy and wanted, you might find yourself growing more attentive to their needs and well being. Suddenly, it's not just about what you want and need, it's about theirs too. This level of attentiveness might mean more than just being a good friend, it's a sign of emotional investment that can often be romantic.
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16. Changes in Communication Style
Are you and your friend talking a lot more compared to before? If so, have you noticed any other changes? Things like having deeper, more meaningful conversations or talking in a sweeter, more tender tone can be a sign of your relationship moving from friendly to romantic. These are just examples of how your dynamic is changing to fit your newfound feelings.
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17. You Prioritize Their Happiness
Seeing your friend happy also makes you feel happy. As simple as that! While this does apply to platonic friendships, if you're finding yourself searching for more ways to make them happy or feeling constantly worried about their wellbeing, it might just be a strong indicator of romantic feelings.
18. Fear of Losing Them
Does the idea of being apart from them or never seeing them again terrify you? If you're feeling a strong emotional response in your gut, perhaps even stronger than what you would feel for a good friend, it's time to take a moment to really think about how much they mean to you - and what it is that you're feeling.
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19. Sharing Personal Items
Feeling comfortable enough to share and exchange personal items like books, clothes, or even food demonstrates that you two have built a strong form of trust and intimacy. It means that you're constantly wanting to stay close to one another through any means that you can.
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20. Protective Instincts
Whether it's looking out for their physical safety or being the rock they can always count on to support their emotional well-being, feeling protective about your friend can be a telltale sign that your feelings are starting to become romantic. The instinct to protect is a strong one - it means their happiness and security is of the utmost importance to you and that you're putting them first (maybe even before yourself?).
