How To Set Boundaries With Guy Friends

It IS possible for guys and girls to be but friends, but it's only possible when the right male female person friendship boundaries are set in place.

While some people may argue that men and women tin can't exist just friends, this is likely because they crossed the line either emotionally or physically that resulted in either the guy or daughter having feelings for the other person.

That'due south why male-female friendship boundaries are so important.

With contrary gender friendship boundaries in identify, y'all'll be able to remain simply friends with someone of the contrary sex without developing romantic feelings for each other.

And boundaries with the opposite gender are important no thing if y'all're single or married.

When you're single, boundaries with guy friends are crucial then you don't end upwardly complicating things, only the boundaries discussed in this blog mail also utilise to those that are married or in a relationship.

These male female person boundaries can be used between coworkers or work-type relationships, guys at church, neighbors, or even your guy friends that you interact with on double dates with your boyfriend.

In this blog mail, we'll hash out 12 examples of male person female person friendship boundaries to implement, and questions to enquire yourself if you're non certain if your boundaries accept crossed a line.

12 Male person Female person Friendship Boundaries to Implement

Every friendship is different, but if yous want to remain ideal friends with someone from the opposite sexual practice, here are 12 male female boundaries to implement in your friendship.

1) Don't go physical with your guy friends

With male female friendships, whatsoever type of physical activity should be off the table.

Don't get concrete is the golden rule of whatever male person female person friendship.

You know all those romantic comedy movies where a guy and girl started out as just friends, agreed to be just friends with benefits, and so concluded up falling for each other?

That'south because being simply friends with benefits doesn't work.

Like Pastor Michael Todd says, there is no condom for your heart, and when you get physical with someone, y'all can't help your heart from creating an zipper or soul necktie to them.

Since soul ties are formed through sex, including other forms of physical activeness, there is no such thing equally "friends with benefits".

With your guy friends, avoid flirting or being besides touchy with each other, and brand sure there is distance betwixt you when sitting down.

Even if you don't desire to appointment each other, physical activity complicates things and starts to create an attachment or soul necktie in the relationship.

If you've already been physical with each other, learn how to interruption ungodly soul ties to break off whatever romantic attachment that may have formed.

Consider creating some space between each other if y'all need time to reset subsequently things take gotten physical.

And set clear boundaries going forrad that whatever physical activity (including kissing, belongings hands, hugging for as well long) is off the tabular array.

If you nonetheless have feelings for each other after creating space, consider whether it's best not to be friends so you lot can both take the infinite you lot need to motility on and prepare yourself for the right person that God has for y'all.

If yous're struggling to resist temptation physically, download my free, 7-day resisting temptation devotional for scriptures and prayers to pray when y'all feel tempted.

two) Make it clear that you're just friends

If you meet a guy and you're not certain what his intentions are but he's starting to become a trivial likewise shut, communicate your intention to be just friends upfront.

Communication is key with male female person friendship boundaries, and it's of import to make certain both people are on the aforementioned folio.

If you tell a guy that y'all want to be friends, simply he wants something more or doesn't respect your boundaries, then this friendship isn't going to piece of work.

Or maybe the guy volition empathise your desire to be friends and volition respect your space.

Don't be afraid to tell a guy that he'due south in the friend zone if it's not articulate.

Make it articulate upfront, and avoid the embarrassment and harder conversation after on, when this guy tries to make a move on you.

3) Avoid hanging out 1-on-one with your guy friend

Make it a rule not to hang out i-on-ane with a guy unless you're interested in dating him.

When y'all hang out with guy friends 1-on-one, this can create too much emotional intimacy in the human relationship, and can result in having feelings for each other.

When I was single, this was the #i boundary that helped me create healthy relationships with men.

I know it seems like a bit much not to hang out with guy friends at all one-on-one, but this allowed me to guard my centre emotionally and I was withal able to get to know my guy friends in grouping settings.

Hanging out in group settings with members of the opposite sex are best to prevent the conversation from getting too intimate.

When you hang out with a guy a lot ane-on-one, other people effectually you lot may start to call up you lot are dating, even when yous aren't.

Even if the two of you don't have feelings for each other, you may exist preventing other guys from asking you out if they already think you are dating this guy that you're always hanging out with.

In some situations, like work-type relationships, yous may not be able to avoid hanging out one-on-one. But proceed things professional and create some space when hanging out gets besides personal.

four) Avoid date-like or romantic settings

If y'all're trying to maintain your ideal male person female friendship, avoid hanging out anywhere that would experience like a engagement.

Again, I recommend avoiding hanging out one-on-one at all to forbid any defoliation or to ensure things don't cross a line.

Even if you're single and you want to cheque out that new Italian restaurant in boondocks, hanging out in romantic settings with guy friends would not be smart.

Plan a girl's night and get those places with the girls instead of your guy friend.

And if you exercise end upwards going out to dinner or do an action with your guy friend, don't allow him pay for information technology.

While information technology'south a nice gesture for a human to pay for a woman, this may brand it feel more similar a date and create confusion near the friendship.

If in that location'southward any doubtfulness, pay your own manner and avoid romantic places where information technology would feel like a appointment.

If yous first to develop feelings for your guy friend and you're not sure if he could be the husband that God has for you lot, pray well-nigh it in the complimentary, 14-24-hour interval future husband prayer claiming .

Y'all'll get 14 days of devotions, scriptures, and prayers to pray over yourself & your future hubby.

And through these prayers, you'll give God a chance to speak to yous and confirm if the desires on your heart are from God.

5) Limit talking or texting late at night

Ready a rule not to text or talk too much belatedly at nighttime. When you arrive the habit of texting each other at night, this tin create intimacy and a reliance on each other when you feel lonely.

If you feel alone at nighttime or on the weekends, instead of texting your guy friends, pray these prayers for loneliness and reach out to God first.

Then, reach out to other girls or friends of the same sex activity that tin can encourage you lot.

And set a boundary non to text or talk to each other day. This is what people in a human relationship do, and talking every single mean solar day creates too much emotional intimacy.

If yous can't go a day without talking to each other, y'all probably already have feelings for him, or y'all are relying as well much on your friendship.

6) Refrain from sharing intimate or personal details of each other's lives

It's healthy to have those friends who you share intimate details with, simply information technology's best non to share these details with your guy friends, or with someone of the reverse sex.

Sharing personal details about yourself, or intimate details of your life can create as well much intimacy with someone of the opposite sex.

And even if you lot've never been physical with each other, this emotional intimacy can result in having feelings for each other.

The Bible tells u.s.a. in Proverbs 4 to baby-sit our heart.

"Guard your center above all else, for it is the source of life." – Proverbs four:23 CSB

When we share everything on our middle with someone from the reverse sexual activity, this tin can exit united states feeling attached to them, like we have this special connexion.

With guy friends from church, it'southward also important to set boundaries with how ofttimes you pray together, and what yous pray nearly.

While prayer is a cute matter, it tin create spiritual intimacy in the relationship that is also intimate between male and female friendships.

If y'all need prayer, inquire other women from your church building for prayer, or inquire your guy friend for prayer but don't share all the personal details.

7) If y'all're dating someone, involve them in the friendship

If you're dating someone or already married, it's so of import to involve your significant other in the friendship with someone from the contrary sex.

The key question to inquire yourself whenever interacting with friends of the contrary sex is, "how would my significant other feel about me doing this right at present?"

If you're hanging out or talking to your guy friend i-on-ane, your beau or husband will likely not exist okay with that.

When yous have guy friends when you're in a relationship, it's best to involve your significant other whenever you hang out or talk to each other.

For case, sometimes I take to text guys from church that involve the volunteer team we are on, or social gatherings we are both attending.

To eliminate any awkwardness, I include my married man in a grouping text, so they both know that he'southward included, and to make my intentions clear.

If your guy friend and meaning other practise not get along, it's best to consider the feelings and needs of your significant other, and create space with your guy friend out of respect of your young man.

8) Your guy friend should not exist your best friend or go-to person

While I think that guys and girls can be but friends with the proper male female friendship boundaries in place, I do not think that guys and girls should exist best friends with each other.

It's natural to want to share everything that is going in your life with your best friend, but when your best friend is a guy, this creates also much reliance and intimacy with someone of the opposite sexual practice.

If a guy is your go-to person, information technology's fourth dimension to make some new friends with girls or friends with the same sex.

Even if you implement practiced boundaries with guy friends, one time one of you starts dating someone, the other person will not be okay with this best friend relationship with the opposite sex.

It'due south all-time to set male female friendship boundaries now and then when you practice meet someone you want to engagement, your new boyfriend isn't questioning whether you lot really have feelings for your best friend of the opposite sexual activity.

9) Have an accountability person to keep yous in check

If you want to still exist friends with guys or members of the opposite sexual activity, information technology's best to have an accountability partner to help keep you in check.

Talk over your male person female friendship boundaries with a mentor, or a trusted friend at church, and be honest well-nigh your boundaries and feelings.

"The godly give good advice to their friends; the wicked lead them astray." - Proverbs 12:26 NLT

If you're worried about things going too far with your guy friend, your accountability partner can help you keep your boundaries in place, and tin assistance you make wise choices even when it's tough.

10) Take ongoing communication during the male person female friendship

With any friendship, information technology's important to accept ongoing communication to brand sure you're both still on the aforementioned page.

Each of yous should feel comfy speaking up if you experience that your boundaries have been crossed, or if you need to create more space in the friendship.

If you start to develop feelings for each other, it'southward best to be honest near it, and let them know how you feel, or that y'all need space.

Some couples do end up dating and getting married after being friends first—not all marriages starting time with love at start.

If you lot practice start to develop feelings even after implementing boundaries with guy friends, spend some time in prayer to see if he's the ane God has for you lot .

Consider if he is someone you want to beginning dating, or if you like him because things got too intimate in your friendship.

11) Don't live with your guy friends

Even if yous're desperate to detect a roommate, don't live with your guy friends.

Living with guy friends can create besides much intimacy in the relationship, and living together creates the temptation to become concrete or for your boundaries to be compromised.

You lot spend a lot of time at domicile, and y'all don't want to have to worry about putting yourself in a situation where it gets complicated with a guy friend, or with someone from the opposite sex.

12) Be mindful of how you dress around your guy friend

If y'all go dressed up every time y'all hang out with your guy friend, he may start to think it's a date or that you're into him.

While God created you to be beautiful, at that place's a difference between glorifying God with your beauty, and showing off your beauty or body to become the attention from a man.

Even if y'all don't have any intention of dating your guy friend, be mindful of what you clothing around him.

Men are visual, and if you wear likewise revealing outfits, he may start looking at you in a sexual mode, or as more than a friend.

Larn more about how to apparel in a way that honors God and what the Bible says about modesty .

v Questions to Ask Yourself If You're Not Certain If Your Male-Female Friendship Boundaries Have Crossed a Line

If yous're not certain if you're getting also close with your guy friend, or if you're unsure if something is a good idea to practice together, ask yourself the following questions:

Do I feel whatever type of romantic feelings?
Would my fellow or husband be okay with this? If you're not dating anyone at the moment, imagine that you had a boyfriend. Would they be okay with you lot doing this with your guy friend?
Does it look like we are a couple if nosotros do this?
Practice you experience jealous when they date or talk to people of the contrary sexual practice?
Deep down, are you hoping that they will have feelings for y'all one day?

If you recall you've crossed a line in the friendship, exist intentional and talk virtually it with your guy friend.

Let him know that you demand to implement ameliorate boundaries, or consider taking some infinite autonomously.

And if you want to learn how to guard your eye as a single woman, check out these Christian dating books for more than advice on how to interact with men in a way that honors God.

FAQs – Male Female Friendship Boundaries

Below are other mutual questions related to establishing boundaries with the opposite sex.

What are examples of friendship boundaries between male and female friends?

In summary, here are 12 examples of friendship boundaries to implement between male and female friends:

Don't become physical
Get in articulate that yous're just friends
Avoid hanging out i-on-i
Avoid date-similar or romantic settings
Limit talking or texting late at nighttime
Refrain from sharing intimate or personal details with each other
Don't go each other's best friend
Have ongoing communication with each other to make sure you lot're on the same page
Identify an accountability partner to proceed you lot in bank check
If y'all're in a relationship, involve your significant other in the friendship
Avoid living together
Be mindful of what y'all vesture around your guy friends

How do yous keep boundaries with guy friends?

You tin come up with all the boundaries you want, just if yous aren't intentional near keeping them in place, they won't mean anything.

Keeping boundaries with guy friends requires subject area, advice, and self-control. And maintaining your boundaries with the opposite sex will require you to say no when it's hard.

In order to continue boundaries, both parties have to be willing to respect and accolade each other.

If a guy friend isn't respecting your boundaries or personal space, let him know. And if he still doesn't respect your boundaries, he'south not a good friend to have around.

Can a male person and female be best friends?

While a male and female can be all-time friends, they probably shouldn't be if they desire to remain simply friends.

Having someone of the opposite sex equally a best friend can create as well much emotional intimacy in the relationship, which may upshot in having feelings for each other later on.

Fifty-fifty if you have no intention of dating each other, when one person starts dating someone else, their pregnant other is probably not going to be okay with them having someone of the opposite sex activity as their best friend.

Call up about it. Imagine that you showtime dating a guy, and his best friend is a girl. Would you feel jealous? Would you be okay with them hanging out alone, or texting a lot?

Should there be boundaries in a friendship?

Aye, there should be boundaries in every friendship, particularly for friendships between men and women, or contrary gender friendships.

If you want to brand certain that the friendship is healthy for both people, friendship boundaries are a must.

Do you want to learn how to pray for your futurity husband?

Equally you learn to implement boundaries with the opposite sex, larn how to pray for your hereafter hubby in the free, xiv-mean solar day future hubby prayer claiming .

You lot'll get 14 days of devotions, prayers, and scriptures to pray over yourself and your hereafter husband as you lot wait on God to bring you together.

With Love,

Source: https://www.funandholy.com/blog/malefemalefriendshipboundaries