Long distance relationships have a bad reputation. People tend to think, What if they cheat? What about when I get lonely? Is this relationship holding me back?
These are completely valid concerns. Physical contact is important. Loneliness does happen. It’s possible you’re not really right for one another after all.
But aren’t these typical fears in any relationship? Cheating happens when couples live together, loneliness is an emotion experienced by everyone sometimes, and at the end of the day there’s no way to know if the person we’re with is going to be the one next to us at the finish line. We just have to take a leap of faith, no matter what the relationship looks like, to find out if it’s really right.
While all relationships require special care and attention, long distance relationships are unique in that they take planned and well thought out strategies to keep the relationship alive and healthy.
1. Communicate frequently
Technology has made it almost too easy to stay in constant contact with our friends and family. For a long distance relationship this is can be a very good thing—it can make you feel like the two of you are together even when you’re not. With platforms like Snapchat and Skype, you can talk to each other face-to-face even when you’re hundreds of miles apart…just don’t let the easy access go too far. Space is important, too.
2. Make a plan
This could be a plan about how often you’re going to talk on the phone or Skype; it could be a visiting schedule; it could be a future blueprint for how you’re going to eventually be in the same place. No matter what your plan is, stick to it the best you can.
3. Make your time together special, but realistic
When you haven’t seen each other for a few weeks, it’s tempting to plan a weekend full of fun activities and dates. While it’s important to be active, it’s also important to be normal. Relationships aren’t always exciting and fun. Sometimes the night consists of watching TV and eating ice cream and sometimes you spend the day running errands. See what it’s like to just live your everyday life with this person.
4. Trust your partner
Trust is huge in any relationship, but for long distance relationships it’s probably the most influential factor for success. If you can’t physically spend time together, you need to trust that your partner cares about you and is being truthful with you. This also means being a trustworthy partner yourself!
5. Spend lots of time with friends
Long distance relationships may really suck sometimes, but if there’s one major perk it’s this: you have ample time for yourself and your friends. We all have a friend who has entered a new relationship and suddenly fell off the face of the planet—and it’s easy to do. Romantic relationships require so much time that it can be hard to balance your other relationships. Friends can also take our minds off of missing our partners, too, and strengthening these relationships is always a good thing.