Help Dates & Mates win a Signal Award! Vote by October 9th at damonahoffman.com/award Loving someone who can't love you back the same way is one of the most tender, complicated situations in relationships. Sometimes the safest relationship in your life becomes the hardest one to navigate, and the person who knows you best is also the one you want most. This week, a listener shares: "I'm in love with my best friend. I'm a queer woman in my thirties and she's straight in her mid to late twenties. We've gotten progressively closer to the point where people think we are dating. My therapist told me my friend is the safest relationship that I have in my life. So sometimes I do wonder if what I'm perceiving as romantic love is just a really healthy friendship. Do I tell my best friend I'm in love with her? If I don't, how do I protect my heart and continue to have this incredible friendship that I never want to give up?" In this episode, Damona explores what happens when deep friendship intersects with romantic feelings. You'll hear about the difference between emotional safety and romantic compatibility, why fantasy relationships feel easier than real ones, and how to navigate truth-telling without causing collateral damage to the relationship that matters most. What You'll Hear In This Episode: Why feeling safe with someone doesn't automatically make them your romantic match How staying in the fantasy can keep you emotionally unavailable to real possibilities The critical questions to ask yourself before revealing feelings to a friend What it costs you to stay silent when romantic feelings are involved Why creating distance might be the most clarifying move you can make right now How to baby step into gauging openness without risking everything at once What it means to proceed with compassion for both yourself and your friend Resources & Links: Got a relationship question? DM @DamonaHoffman on Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook Leave a voicemail or text: 424-246-6255 Dates & Mates is a finalist for a Signal Award! We need your support to ensure Love Wins! Vote for Dates & Mates at ⁠damonahoffman.com/award⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices