From Friendship to Forever: How to Turn a Great Connection into Lasting Love After 50

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to date your best friend? Many people describe their intimate partners as their “best friend,” meaning that “this is my person.” While both things can be true — their partner also happens to be their best friend — we’re talking about something else: when your platonic friend, who you adore as a person, eventually becomes your romantic partner.

Dating friends is not for everyone, but when it works, the bond can be both satisfying and unbreakable. As you’re reading this, some of you have thought about your best platonic friend and asked yourselves, “What if?” If this applies to you, we have some amazing tips to identify the potential for romantic love in a friendship.

Friendships Can Blossom Into Romance

At SilverSingles, members use our dating app and site to find new friends all of the time. Some are recently single and are not ready for relationships. Others are testing the dating pool with a “friends first” approach. Because our proprietary algorithm matches members based on mutual compatibility, it’s ideal for finding platonic companionship. Over time, however, these friends find that their friendship has grown to something more.

Emotional Bonds Often Lead to Fulfilling Relationships

If you’ve been in a successful relationship before, you probably realize that physical attraction is only one component. You may have experienced the disappointment of meeting someone in public or at a party, going on a date or two with them, and then finding that you have little in common with the person.

Sure, they caught your eye when you met them, but as it turns out, they aren’t what you’re looking for. One of the reasons that these chance encounters so often miss the mark is that they depend largely on physical attraction and other initial impressions. It usually takes time to get to get to know someone else, but so many of us rush to romance before we do.

The SilverSingles dating app is modeled on the slower approach to deep connections. While it’s true that many of our members are looking for romance, there is a vetting process. First of all, our algorithm filters out options that don’t meet your dating criteria. Then, it prioritizes potential matches that are likely to fit your personality profile. Once you match with someone, you can take the next step at your own pace.

Signs Your Friendship Could Be More

Think about this scenario. You meet someone on a dating app or through a random encounter, or they’re someone who has been in your life for a while. You may have even dated other people since you’ve known them. There’s an attraction, but you’re cautious because you don’t want to lose your friend. So, how do you go about finding romance in friendships?

Increased Emotional Intimacy

One of the signs that your friendship is moving toward romance is that your emotional connection increases. Is your friend the person you want to call or text when you’re upset? Do you worry about them more than other people in your life when you know they’re going through a bad time? Would you consider your friend “your person”? If the answer to these questions is yes, ask yourself if you think your friend feels the same way about you.

Spending More Time Together

Many of us lead busy lives, but we try to make time not only for the ones we love but the ones who make us feel good. Are you spending more time with your friend these days, and is this a choice? Do you find yourself making excuses to be around them, and as importantly, are they doing the same? This may be one of the biggest signs that a friend is falling in love with you.

Physical Affection and Romantic Interest

Many people find it awkward to open up to a friend that they may be interested in more. One way to see if they’re open to the possibility is mild physical affection. In order for this to work, it has to be a little different than the type of affection you normally share with the friend.

For example, if you don’t normally hug your friend in question when you see them, it might be a good place to start. You can even say, “Can I have a hug?” and see how they respond. If the reaction is favorable, you might be able to build on it. However, physical intimacy may happen more organically. Light touches often lead to holding hands, cuddling, and even kissing. If you’re regularly kissing your friend, by the way, you’re probably already already on the road to a romantic relationship.

Taking the Next Step

Taking the relationship from friends to lovers after 50 can be intimidating. After all, you may have known your friend for a long time. This new dynamic can feel strange at first.

Approaching the Idea of Romance

Whether you decide to approach your friend about dating romantically or some incident has made it clear that you like each other as more than just friends, you should probably talk about it. Here are a few opening “ice breakers” to broach the subject:

• “I think my feelings for you have changed, and I was wondering if we could maybe go on a date and see where it takes us.”
• “I know what happened the other night seemed sudden, but the truth is, I’ve had these feelings for a long time.”
• “Our friendship means so much to me, but I think we could be more to one another.”

Find a way to talk to them that works for you and your potential partner. It’s important not to make them uncomfortable.

Gauging Mutual Feelings Without Risking the Friendship

If there’s one piece of mature dating advice you should always put into practice, it is to use a light touch. This is even more true when it comes to dealing with friends. Mild flirtation is a good way to safely approach the turn. If they flirt back, it’s a good sign that they’re into the idea of taking things further. Here are a few safe ways to flirt with a friend.

• Compliment them – “You look amazing tonight.” Friends say things like this to one another, so it’s a low-risk flirtation.
• Send a text without a reason – “I was just wondering what you were up to.” See if they keep the dialogue going or show interest.
• Let them know they’re special – “You know, you’re the only person I would even think of doing [insert favor] for.”

If they’re not showing you mutual interest, you can re-evaluate the idea. It doesn’t necessarily mean that they won’t eventually want to explore romance, but they may not be ready.

How SilverSingles Can Help

SilverSingles is a friendship and dating app/website that matches compatible over 50 singles. Many of our members recognize that friendship is the key to a lasting relationship and employ a “friends first” policy. Because the algorithm is based on compatibility, it’s a great place to meet people who you would get along great with. And if you are looking toward a more romantic future, the “singles” in SilverSingles means that there is always that possibility — even if you start off as friends.

Meeting Like-Minded Individuals Seeking Meaningful Friendships

If you’re open to the possibility of eventually dating one of your friends, but not the friends you currently have, SilverSingles is a great place to expand your friend circle. With millions of members, there are bound to be plenty of like-minded singles in your area.

Building Relationships Based on Shared Values

When you sign up for SilverSingles, the app or site will take you through a series of questions designed to identify character traits that make you compatible with someone else. As it turns out, the qualities we seek in romantic partners often closely align with the qualities we find in our friends.

Sign up on our site or dating app, take some time to consider your answers to your questions, and we’re confident that you’ll meet interesting friends.

And who knows where that could lead?