It's no surprise that relationship experts often cite friendship as being one of the best foundations for a romantic relationship, but sometimes it's difficult to tell if the feelings that you're having have moved beyond simple friendship to romantic love. There are some indicators that can give you an idea if the romantic feelings you're having are simply a fleeting fancy or something upon which to build a future.
Body Language
Body language can be a great indicator if your friend is interested in more than just friendship. In her book "Superflirt," Tracey Cox says if your partner is touching his face a lot or reaching out to touch you more than he used to, he's probably looking at you in a new way. Pay particular attention to his eyebrows. If they twitch or are slightly raised, that means he's listening to you intently and hoping that you're sizing him up too.
Examine Your Feelings
Jealousy is often a side effect of love, but it's also a side effect of friendship, and you'll need to discern which it is for you. You may be jealous of your friend's relationship because it takes time your friend normally devotes to you, or you may be jealous because you miss your friend and want a relationship similar to the one she is seeking elsewhere. Other signs to look for inside yourself are day-dreaming about your friend as a spouse or girlfriend. You want to spend more time with this friend than with other friends, and you can imagine making the relationship physical. It's possible to love a friend very much and want to spend a lot of time with them, but still have no physical chemistry with them. That chemistry is an essential party of a love relationship, according to anthropologist Helen Fisher, in her book "Why We Love: The Nature and Chemistry of Romantic Love." She describes it as "a craving for food and water and the maternal instinct" and "a physiological need, a profound urge." If you're feeling that way, or getting the idea that your partner may be, it could be that love is in the air.
Listen to Your Friend
Listen closely to your friend's language. He may be building a future with you in his mind. He may comment about spending holidays together in the future or use words like "we" or "us" when talking about the future. When friendship is turning to love, both parties begin to use inclusive language. Noticing it--or noting his reaction if you use it--can help you figure out if you should bring the subject up for discussion.
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