I stand before you on my feeble, wobbly soap box to preach to you the beauty of turning a crush into a friend. I’m not saying it is always easy; I am not even saying it is always the right move, but with the right blend of self reflection and honesty, the end of a crush can be the start of a beautiful friendship.

Although I’ve been the victim of this “we’re-friends-but-not-really,” I have also fed into it and stood by and watched it happen to someone else. How do we get past this? It starts with being comfortable with sharing how you feel. If you have been friends with someone for years, you should be comfortable enough with telling them what has gone wrong within the friendship.

“Rather than rush into a friendship to prove I’m not a bad friend, I’m taking my time and getting to know the friends I have around me in deeper and more meaningful ways.” Sienna Mooney shares a few things to keep in mind when dealing with friends, especially if you’ve been doubting your ability to make new friends.