How to Make a Long Distance Relationship Work

"In true love, the smallest distance is too great, and the greatest distance can be bridged"  

~Hans Nouwens~

Being in a long distance relationship is a big challenge. It is very risky, the possibility of making it work is a bit difficult to deal with. Just imagine this, when your mind is telling you that this kind of relationship sucks, then it really sucks! 

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Even though the love for our partner is more than enough to keep it going, there are times we become demotivated and ready to give up. That’s the time we need something to boost up the feeling inside, something to keep us believe that there’s a great future ahead of us.  You have to change your attitude towards it or adjust your lifestyle, then it won’t be that hard for you to handle the situation.

Here are some ways you can follow to bridge the distance without letting the spark of love fade away:

#1  Trust and be Trustworthy 

It is very essential that you have trust in your partner’s word and that you are believing that he/she is not seeing anyone else behind your back. Without the trust between you two, you can’t have a happy and strong relationship, you’ll lose that feeling of being secured. When other people are spreading rumors that your partner is dating someone else, just don’t mind them. As long as there is trust between you, you will hold on to that. Remember, you are in a give-and-take relationship. You both are benefiting from it, so by all means, trust each other no matter what.

#2  Have Regular Calls/Chats 

Of course, this is the most common thing you and your partner can do to communicate with each other. The constant communication is a very strong way to strengthen the love for each other. You can use FaceTime, Skype or Google chat for this. You can talk about things you’ve done for the day, how good or bad it has been. Anything that you can actually talk about when you’re in person, tell them. This will make both of you feel like you’re just beside them every time.

#3  Avoid Temptation in the Relationship 

As much as there’s the willingness in both of the partners to be in a relationship, they are going to hold on it and the distance will never be an obstacle. If in case, someone is getting nearer to you or you think this someone has a much deeper intention than just being friends, avoid them. Don’t cheat on your partner. If you do so, you are not serious about it and you’re just going to hurt your partner and probably losing him/her.

#4  Listen to Each Other 

Listening is the key to understanding your partner’s opinions or reactions about a certain thing you got to talk about. You may talk about things that bother you both. By this, there might be times that you’ll argue about some things. But, you got to work those out, listen to each one’s word. Use the words, “Okay, I understand you,” but not, “Okay, but...” With this, you can really say that you are listening to him/her, then after that, you can express your own thoughts about things. It really is important for you to be open to each other. Just talk about anything, the more you talk and listen to each other, the more you say you are interested in him/her. With that, it means you care.

#5  Do Something Together 

Even if you’re apart from each other, you can actually do things together. Aside from making the usual phone calls or video calls, there are a lot of things you can do. You can watch TV that you both are fond of watching it, you can walk along with different parks, make your favorite meals or anything else that time zones and distance can never be a hindrance to your relationship.

#6 Enjoy other Things Separately 

When you’re in love and in distant with him/her, you can take this thing as a positive one. You can actually have more time with your family or friends. You can do things like shopping with them or other recreational activities. This somehow helps on how you’re not going to miss him/her that much because you’re busy doing things up with your other loved ones. Once, you’re together, of course, you’re going to spend a lot of time with your partner and miss doing things with your family or friends. So, take this time to enjoy things apart. Keep yourself busy!

#7  Stay Positive 

How do you even begin to think positive when the one you considered your better half is away? Well, it is important to stay positive and not to focus on the negative side of being in a long-distance relationship. Actually, it is not bad at all, being in a long distance love affair. You both discover in yourselves the more creative side of you, to communicate better and express your feelings better than the usual. You know what, when you’re apart, think that it is just a temporary situation. This mindset will transmit that feeling of security to your partner. Only deal with the good things about the long-distance relationship, this makes it easier for you to recognize the full worth of it.

#8  Make Plans for Visits

Determine when you are going to see him/her. Anyone who is in a relationship is looking for warmth with his/her loved one. It just wouldn’t happen if you don’t see yourselves being together for just a vacation. You may surprise him/her with a visit. Every time this happens, always know or do things differently. You can go to places where you haven’t been to before. Savor the moment that he/she is with you because you only have limited time. Enjoy every little thing you do.

#9  Spice it up 

When you’re talking on the phone or having chats, never be afraid of talking about sex. Having conversations about your sexual desires for each other is a good thing. You’ll never know where this may lead you. The more you talk about this, the more you’ll be longing to be together. So, spice it up!

#10 Talk about Your Future Goals 

You can also make plans for your future. By this, you set your minds that you have an end goal with each other, keeping both of your longings and making it possible that you’ll be together and not anymore be apart. You want to live together? Discuss things with them on how you are going to be there. This will help you two to go somewhere else, that there’s a direction in your relationship. This will also prove that all your efforts given to the relationship will not be in vain.

By: Ken Guardian