How many times have you heard someone comment that their spouse is their best friend? I have heard it a lot. However in how many cases is it actually true? It seems that those words are just something that one says because they feel like they should.
Many partners may say that they are best friends but in reality they do not treat one another like best friends at all. Many partners have much higher expectations, more jealousy, and greater demands of their mates than they ever would have for a friend. In addition they also typically give their mate less appreciation, sensitivity, and respect than they do a best friend.
When dealing with a best friend you are more open to thinking about what is best for the friend and what will make him or her happy. When dealing with your mate you often factor your own personal interests into the equation. It becomes more than just what is best for your mate and his or her happiness. It also becomes about what will make you happy.
When a couple can truly say that they are best friends, they have a deeper and stronger bond than most other couples. The friendship often takes care of the rest of the pieces of the relationship. When mates are best friends they discover a way to compromise and take enjoyment in the goals and dreams of one another.
Before reacting to your mate, stop and think about how you would react in the same situation with a best friend. Are you responding to your mate better or worse?
While you do have closer ties and more interest in your mate than you would have in a casual friend, sometimes treating your mate as a friend is the key to having a successful relationship.
Friends to Mates: More Factors to Consider
Friends to Mates: Factors to Consider