You’re good friends with him but you’d love to be more than that. Is he on the same page or at least open to the idea? Once you’ve figured that out, here are 10 tips to keep in mind so that you smoothly progress from friends to power couple.
- Stop calling him friendly nicknames. How you communicate with the guy needs to change if you want to become a couple instead of getting stuck in the dreaded friend zone. So, enough with calling him your buddy or dude. That will just make it feel like you’re still just friends.
- Get your flirt on. Once those friendly nicknames are out of the way, try to be a little flirtatious with him. This will set the scene for a more romantic situation. Of course, you don’t want to overdo it if you’re not sure if he reciprocates your feelings. It’s also good to take things slow so you can adjust to your new way of being with each other, especially if you’ve been friends for ages. Pace yourself. There’s time!
- Step out of your sweatpants. Sure, wear your sweatpants when hanging out with him – if you want him to keep viewing you as his little sister or platonic friend. It never hurts to show him a bit of a sexier appearance in the same way that you’d be wowed when you see how well he’s cleaned up. Just make sure that you hold onto your own style.
- Change your plans. If you two are always hanging out at the nearest coffee shop, that screams friendship. You need to take things up a notch by planning activities that are a little more romantic so that you can both explore those different sides of yourselves. Go for drinks, head down to the beach for a moonlit walk, or have dinner in a cozy candlelit restaurant.
- Compliment him. Don’t pay him lip service, but find a compliment that’s more meaningful than telling him he looks juicy in his outfit. For example, tell him that you love how he makes you laugh on your bad days or that his work ethic makes you want to strive to achieve your dreams. This will focus on the bond you have and highlight the value he brings to your life.
- Choose one-on-one dates. If you guys are always spending time in a group setting, it’s time to change that. You need to have quality time on your own. The next time he invites you bowling with 16 other people, suggest that you do something with him alone instead.
- Leave him wanting more. At the end of your time together, make sure you leave on a high note when the wine’s still flowing and the conversation is following suit. This will ensure that you stay on his mind and leave him craving more of your delightful company.
- Focus on the rest of your life. You should be paying attention to the other parts of your life. Not only does this prevent you from putting all your energy into this guy, but it will show him that you’ve got a full life. You can see how the dating advice that you’ve followed with guys who weren’t your friends should also be used on a friend you want to become your boyfriend. It might just take a little longer to ease into using it – it’s all about that smooth transition!
- Drop a big hint. Let’s be real: making the transition from friends into something more can be tricky. This is why you have to drop a hint. It has to be big enough to make him think, “Ooh, what’s going on here?” but not too big that you feel you’re putting yourself out there too much. This will help you both to see that there’s romantic potential and interest. After all, he might need the hint before making his move!
- Don’t be too available. While it might do no harm to your friendship to see the guy five times a week, that was when you were buddies. Now that you’re moving into a relationship (hopefully), you need to do things a little differently. Be a little mysterious and don’t make yourself so available to him all the time. When he sees you less, he’ll want to see you more – and he’ll start seeing you more as a possible girlfriend than a friend he can just hang with.
