When Friends Aren't

Finally found a man that I want to build a relationship with, and he feels the same way. Our relationship has been fantastic, including weekend getaways, enjoying local activities and just doing what couples do. I have zero issues with my relationship but I’m finding problems with how my friends feel about it. My boyfriend has done some illegal things in his past, he served time and he’s grown from it. He’s got a great life going and I’m proud he wants me to be a part of it. How do I get others to understand?

Sounds like you’ve finally found happiness in a relationship and that’s to be celebrated. Many times when people find happiness, there’s someone in the background ready to throw a bucket of water to douse the flame… and sadly sometimes that person is a friend. The difficult part of this is that you can’t force a friend to see your love through your eyes, but the easy part is not allowing them rain on your parade. Show some grace and tell them that you understand that they only want the best for you, but it’s up to you to decide what that happiness looks like. Hopefully over time they can see for themselves but as long as you’re happy both individually and as part of a couple, that’s all that matters. A real friend will get it.

It seems I’m the only one who likes my boyfriend. My friends don’t support my relationship and he hasn’t met my family yet. His friends have been great, but my side has been a pain. What should I do?

Sounds like you’re going to be spending a lot of time with his friends and the friends you make as a couple. Friends react to friend’s relationships for a variety of reasons, but being a real friend means giving real support. If they come around, great… if not your new friends will cushion the fall.