having strong feelings for friends

[dordor]

how do you handle having strong feeling for your friends when your feeling are not reciprocated?

i have been in this situation for 4 times now and i get hurt every damn time

[hemogoblin]

Judging by the unrequited crushes my friends had on me and how they generally had stronger feelings about friendship than me...

- Be mindful and deliberately grateful of why you like them as a person and why you enjoy being their friend

- Consider not confessing and just privately handling your feelings

- Recognize that these feelings may fade over time and become easier to deal with if you just weather the storm

- Re-adjust expectations about the relationship (like, if you find yourself spending a lot of time daydreaming about dating them or being in a qpp with them, remind yourself of the good relationship you have now and that [x] type of relationship isn't going to happen and doesn't need to happen to enjoy having them in your life)

- Focus on yourself; are you doing basic self-care? do you do your hobbies enough? what are some goals you have and are you taking steps to achieve those? are you acting in ways that align with your values?

- Meet some new people and expand your social circle, which may subsist of acquaintances, hobby buddies, sports teammates, casual friends, close friends, etc.

- Know that hurt is unavoidable but also survivable

- Cry, be sad, and then move on with your life

- Journal about it

Good luck. I hope something here helps in some way.