Is it accurate to say that you've wondered what "friends with benefits" really implies?
Maybe you've heard the term come up in motion pictures and TV shows, have seen the acronym FWB, or trying to make sense of it and see if it's the correct sort of relationship for you.
Whatever the case might be, to make a friend with benefits relationship work, it's critical to comprehend what this sort of easygoing association genuinely means and involves.
Let's define the relationship before I delve into it. What is a friend with benefits? It is basically two people who are physically intimate with one another, yet aren’t in an emotional relationship together—not committed to each other.
In other words, people involved with each other who enjoy spending time together and hooking up, but their relationship has no romance and no strings attached.
If you are thinking of starting a friends with benefits relationship, I have a few pointers for you to keep in mind.
1. You're not searching for a committed relationship with this individual.
On the off chance that you want to be in a friends with benefits relationship with somebody, it's vital that you go into this sort of relationship completely recognizing, understanding and tolerating what this implies for both of you. This individual isn't your boyfriend or girlfriend, and this can have its advantage and disadvantage, which all depends on your present wants and needs.
It is important to acknowledge that this individual isn’t there to give you the emotional support and care that are normally exhibited in a committed relationship. For example, loaning a source of genuine sympathy, going to family occasions as well as spending sentimental nights together are not going to happen. That is a no-no when it comes to these relationships!
2. You both are on the same page about your FWB relationship.
When you begin this sort of relationship, always be honest and open to discuss and agree on what it is about your connection that you are FWB. In other words, to not be confused, hurt someone or misread signals, you need to be totally upfront and in complete agreement with how this relationship works for both of you. This is just to avoid problems and continue to have a no-strings-attached relationship.
3. You must really want this type of relationship with that person.
You must enter this relationship with this person because you really want it that way. You should never agree on an FWB relationship because it is all that they can offer and you're hoping that one day it can turn into something more. NO!
We don’t want broken hearts. You have to fully understand that you’re signing this contract today without that commitment. It has come to my mind that yes, some FWB relationship do transition into something more, but not all the time.
4. You must consider the fact that this person may be with other people.
You have to know that this relationship isn’t strictly monogamous. Actually, you both are free to date other people and have other FWB relationships. You can play the field and test the waters with as many people as you want—this is so much more different from a booty call relationship.
But one thing that is similar is protecting your physical health. Always play safe, and never stray from it. Also, protect your emotional health. This is done by knowing and understanding that your emotional health. This is done by knowing and understanding that your FWB relationship can end at any time.
5. You both must enjoy the friends with benefits relationship.
To make this work, you both need to fulfill each other’s needs. It's fun to hook up and be sexual, but the only way this sort of relationship to work is to for both of you to completely be content with the arrangement. For example, if your FWB relationship makes you feel good in that moment but then it doesn’t, it is not for you. Or if this relationship is preventing you from going after a committed relationship that you actually want, you FWB relationship is anything but helping you.
So before you get yourself into this, think about it. It isn’t easy and it will definitely change you.