Most people have a best friend or at least someone who's a very close friend to them. Having a friend that is such an integral part of your life can be amazing, and sometimes being that close can lead to romantic feelings. It happened to me and happens to other people all the time, but here's the things people don't tell you when you start dating your best friend.

1. It isn't always easy.

Dating someone you already know comes with many challenges, and it can require a lot of work to maintain a relationship. Some people can just flow into the relationship, but for many others, it's a hard adjustment that both partners have to work at to make it work.

It takes time and communication-- so if you plan to do this, be ready to be patient and make sure you're communicating openly with your partner.

2. There's a lot of risk to dating your best friend.

When you date someone, it doesn't always last. If this happens, you can lose both your partner and best friend. It can be a really devastating loss to lose both in one fell swoop, so just remember the risk before you jump in.

3. Familiarity isn't always a good thing in new relationships.

Relationships are fun because you get to see new sides to the person you like. But if you're already close, you probably already know what to expect, which can make the relationship seem dull early on.

4. You don't have a best friend to vent to about your relationship.

When you date your best friend, you can still talk to them about anything-- except your relationship. That means you have to find someone else to go to if you ever need to talk something out or vent about a problem you have in your relationship.

This can be hard if you don't like opening up to just anyone, so hope you have other close friends to help you through the rough days in your relationship.

5. You don't have to try to impress them.

Many people forget that dating the person who already knows you extremely well doesn't have expectations you have to meet. They already know you and love you for you, so there's no need to do anything extra to impress them. You already have just by being you.

6. It could be the best thing that's ever happened to you.

Dating your best friend means so many good things, and if you make it work, you may just end up with the love of your life. My story wasn't a successful best friend relationship, but many people's are.

There's always negatives and positives, so it all matters how it weighs out for you. Take the leap of faith if you feel the risk is worth the reward... or don't if you feel you might lose if you take the bet. In the end, you have to decide if you want to date your best friend, but hopefully hearing about the things people don't normally tell you can help you make the best decision for yourself.