Friend zone. How do you move from the “just friends” to something more?
Being stuck in the friend zone is a super frustrating and uneven position. When you are crushing on someone and you find yourself in that dreaded “just friend” position, there is still hope. Here are 5 ways to break out of the friend zone.
1) Be less interested– step back and try not to give up too much of yourself. People always want to feel like they have ‘earned’ someone’s friendship, time, and slowly build a relationship. Those who are willing to walk away are always the ones who have more power in a relationship.
2) Play hard to get– spend time away from your ‘friend’. Give them a chance to miss you! There is a reason they say, distance makes the heart grow fonder.
3) Start looking around– Go and put yourself out there! Find time to meet new people and talk to your friend a bit about your possible new romantic prospects. See if you get a reaction! Even though I don’t encourage playing games, sometimes it is good to show the person you’re interested in, that you are desirable, and it might put you in a new light.
4) Get them to invest– Like all relationships you have to ‘invest’- time, energy, emotional support etc. As weird as it seems, getting people to do favors for you (within reason) actually makes people feel more appreciative of you. This doesn’t have to be anything demanding, ask them to pick you up a coffee or to call you instead of initiating the hangout.
5) Be grateful– Of course, when you ask your friend to help you out with things and to invest in you, you have to reward them and be gracious. Be attentive and affectionate when they are thoughtful or kind to you. Make sure that they ‘earn’ your respect and affection.
Ultimately, following these five steps helps even out your relationship and move you from the ‘friend zone’ to equal footing. It is only here that you can start taking a more direct (or indirect) approach to a romantic relationship.
