There’s something very relaxing and wonderful about spending time with platonic friends who don’t want anything intimate or sexual from you.

When you’re in the dating world, you have to figure out whether or not someone respects you enough to move forward with them in the bedroom.

When it comes to your friends, respect is super important, but the threat of feeling used or betrayed after sharing your body intimately with someone is no longer a factor.

When you start dating someone new who you’re super excited about, it becomes easy to prioritize them above other connections you have – including your platonic friendships.

While yes, you should definitely take your relationship seriously, you still need to make time to nurture your friendships through and through. Here’s why.

Prioritize your friends, whether or not you’re single

If you neglect your friends while dating someone, your friends might not want to continue pursuing a friendship with you for the long haul.

This can be especially devastating if your romantic relationship fails and you’re left without a support system.

Platonic friends will be there for you through your highs and lows, regardless of what you look like or what your failings are.

You might feel pressured to dress a certain way, apply a certain amount of makeup, or style your hair in a specific manner when you’re going on dates.

When you’re with your friends, though, you have the freedom to remain as casual and comfortable as you want without receiving any judgment.

It completely enriches your life to be surrounded by solid friendships. Having a solid romantic relationship is also very enriching, but it’s certainly not the only relationship that should matter.

When you have multiple people in your life you can depend on, it increases your sense of belonging and purpose.

It helps reduce your stress and boost your happiness knowing there are people you can reach out to whenever needed.

On top of that, it raises your self-confidence and self-worth. Your romantic relationship might always work out, but that doesn’t mean you are an undesirable or unwanted individual in the eyes of your platonic friends.

Your friends will exist as proof of that. When it comes to coping with trauma, friends are vital throughout your healing process.

They’ll encourage you to make positive lifestyle choices as you work through the negative feelings that come along with a broken romantic relationship, job loss, unwanted physical changes, and more.