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Friendship is the best basis for a lasting, healthy relationship. Sounds great, right? But if you already have the friendship part down pat and are looking to turn that friendship into a romantic relationship, it can be harder than you might think. Your friend is so used to seeing you simply as a friend-- it can be a difficult perspective to change.

If you want to take a friendship to the next level, you must make your friend see your romantic potential. You could start by just telling him or her how you feel. While that may seem like the most honest and straightforward way to do it, it's not what I would recommend. Because if you don't get your friend looking at you differently from the way they're used to seeing you, chances are they'll be weirded out. And things might just fizzle before they ever get started.

So... how do you change your friend's view of your relationship without coming out and saying how you feel?

Step 1: Put some space between you

This might be difficult. After all, if you have feelings for this person, you want to be with them all the time. But your friend is used to having you around and having you there for them whenever they need some friendly support. It's just how they see you. To change that dynamic, you need some distance. Don't show up and hang out with your friend. Don't spend parties glued to his or her side. Leave a day or two before you return your friend's phone calls.

In essence, start out by making your friend miss you.

Step 2: Tweak the way you communicate

You've made your friend start missing you. This is where it gets delicate. The best thing to do is call him or her up and ask them out, not necessarily on a date, but to a party or just a casual dinner for two. When you see your friend, treat him or her more like a date than a buddy. Take the conversation in a different direction than the two of you are accustomed to. Instead of the same old dynamic, talk about something new, let your friend see another (more romantically appealing) side of you.

Step 3: Treat your friend like a potential romantic partner

Now it's time to make that final change to the dynamic of your friendship. This is especially important for men, as it's very common for a woman to categorize a man as either relationship material or friendship material. You want to put yourself in the former category. Flirt with your friend. Ask him or her out on real dates. Treat him or her the way you would anybody else you're dating.

The best way is always to be open an honest with anyone and I certainly encourage that. At some point you’ll need to do this. This list happens to be some tips I have used in the past when trying to convert a great friendship into something more.

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