Your entire life doesn't have to change, just because you have a boyfriend now. Even though you'll have to be a bit more careful with whom you hang out with, you don't have to get rid of all of your male friends in order to keep your boyfriend content. It's entirely possible to find a way to keep everyone happy. Here are a few tips for keeping your male friends while in a relationship:
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Invite Him along
If your boyfriend is uncomfortable with you spending your Friday nights with other men, invite him to join. If he's right there by your side, there's no reason for him to get jealous or to suspect that something fishy is going on. Don't worry if you want alone time with your friends without your boyfriend tagging along. As long as you invite him out with the gang once or twice, he'll see how platonically you all interact and won't be worried about you spending alone time with them anymore.
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Allow Invasions
You don't need to let your boyfriend see every single text that your guy friends send you. However, you shouldn't hide those texts either. If you start guarding your phone or yell at your boyfriend for touching it, he'll assume you're doing something wrong. Every once in a while, read out the texts you receive or let your boyfriend type the words out for you, so he can see that you're completely innocent.
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Keep Him Updated
You don't need your boyfriend's permission to hang out with other men, but you should at least tell him when you're planning to hang out with them. If you don't, and he ends up finding out about the hangout session from someone else, he'll think you were trying to keep it a secret--and that certainly won't end well.
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Eye for an Eye
If you want to keep your male friends, you need to allow your boyfriend to keep his female friends. You can't be hypocritical about the situation. You're in a relationship, which means that you should treat each other equally. So if you can talk on the phone with your male friend all night, your boyfriend can do the same with his female friend.
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Boundaries with Buddies
There's a difference between joking around and flirting. If your male friend touches you inappropriately or says some dirty things you know your boyfriend wouldn't approve of, make sure you have a conversation about boundaries. You wouldn't want your friends to do anything that would make your boyfriend upset, now would you?
Remember that clear communication is key in maintaining a healthy friendship and romantic relationship. It's important to articulate your comfort levels and expectations to your friend. Sometimes, friendships evolve over time, and boundaries need to be re-established. If your friend has trouble respecting these limits, it might be necessary to reevaluate the friendship. After all, true friends should prioritize your feelings and the respect of your relationship. Trust your intuition—if something feels off, it's worth addressing. Always strive for a balance where your boyfriend feels secure and your friendships remain intact.
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To give oneself earnestly to the duties due to men, and, while respecting spiritual beings, to keep aloof from them, may be called wisdom.
Show Him What You See
If your boyfriend can't understand why you need male friends when you have him, explain to him why you love your pals so much. Once you make him see what you see, he should be a lot more understanding. Sometimes all it takes to resolve an issue is a little bit of communication.
Your friends bring unique perspectives, joys, and experiences into your life that your boyfriend might not offer, and that’s okay. Express to him the different ways they enrich your life and the platonic nature of your bond. Assure him that your commitment to him remains steadfast, and the friendships you maintain don’t detract from your relationship. If you can, invite him to spend time with you and your friends together. This can help foster understanding and trust as he gets to know them and experiences firsthand the dynamic of your friendships.
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Cut off Contact
While you don't want to lose any friends, you need to be able to see when your boyfriend's jealousy is valid. If you're BFFs with an ex, your mate has a right to be worried. In sticky situations like that, you might have to make the choice between keeping your ex as a friend and keeping your boyfriend as a boyfriend.
Despite popular belief, it's entirely possible for men and women to "just be friends." Do you have any male friends that make your boyfriend jealous?
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