10 Reasons Why You Should Tell Your BFFs You Love Them More Often

It’s easy to think that the big “love” word is only reserved for romantic lovers, but in reality, you can tell anyone that you love them—especially the friends in your life who are there for you through thick and thin. Here are 10 reasons you totally should tell your friends you love them more often:

1. Platonic love rules.Who cares how cheesy it is or makes you feel? Platonic love is totally awesome. One huge benefit is that platonic love has such fewer strings attached than a romantic relationship. With the good ole love of a friend, there are fewer expectations and as a result, there are fewer disagreements. With a good pal, you can really kick back and just love on each other.
2. You’re lucky to have them. Chances are that you have some wonderful friends who’d be there for you at the drop of a hat. Your ex-partner smashes your heart to bits and your friends are the first to pick up the pieces. You’re blessed to have these lovely humans in your life. Not everyone can be so lucky. Remind yourself of this fact by taking a moment to tell them how you feel about them!
3. It’s a reminder that they’re valued.Think about the last time someone told you that they loved you. Maybe they wrote it in a card, mumbled it while giving you a hug, sent a casual text, or told you over the phone. Whenever and however it happened, I bet it made you feel valued. You can do the same for a friend. They’ll get the warm and fuzzies being reminded that they’re a special person in your life.
4. The L-word gets easier to say with practice. I know, it can be nerve-wracking to mutter that three letter word. Even if it’s true and it’s your best friend, you can still get nervous like a little kid. I mean, perhaps you aren’t the mushy gushy type and you aren’t used to throwing the big L word around. Don’t you worry; expressing yourself in this way definitely gets easier when you do it a few times.
5. You may catch a little high. Saying “I love you” or having it said to you can affect your body like a drug. It can give you a tingly feeling, even when the love is only platonic. Having an “ I love you darlin’!” text pop up on your phone can flood your system with joy. All sorts of feel good chemicals—like dopamine— come rushing in, making you little-kid-giddy. Who needs drugs and alcohol when you have platonic love?
6. Science says you’ll experience some serious benefits. Saying “I love you” is one way of expressing gratitude According to Happify, there are endless benefits to doing so. “People who regularly practice gratitude by taking time to notice and reflect upon the things they’re thankful for experience more positive emotions, feel more alive, sleep better, express more compassion and kindness, and even have stronger immune systems.”
7. Life is short. Chances are that you have no more than a century to live on this planet. 89 years of life may seem like an epically long time, but you’ll be surprised when your 40’s smack you in the face and all of a sudden you’re halfway through life. Take the time to share your adoration for your friends while you still can. It may surprise the sh*t out of you when the end of your days are near. 
8. You never know when it’s the last time you’ll see someone. Not to be morbid, but it could be the last time you see a friend for any number of reasons. What if the worse case scenario happened? Maybe something horrible like a car accident or a milder incident like an unexpected fight happens. For better or worse, life is constantly in motion. Seize the moment when the time is still to say “I love you.”
9. You may just start a trend. Your friend could be taken aback the first time you drop an L bomb on the phone with them. They may be a bit confused or even concerned. Nonetheless, after doing it a few times, saying “I love you” could just catch on. Imagine if it started being a normal thing that you did with your closest friends? By the time it became a trend you started, it wouldn’t even be weird anymore.
10. There are a million ways to say “I love you.”Okay, if the big L word is too anxiety-provoking for you, there are tons of other ways to express your feelings to your bestie. Try: “the world is a less scary place with you by my side” or “it makes me happy that you know me so well.” You can play with all sorts of ways to convey the same message. However you say it, you should still tell that pal of yours how you really feel.