W hen we’re in love, all we want to do is be with our partner all the time. However, with long-distance relationships, not only is this impossible but also brings its own unique set of challenges. And these challenges are not for the faint of heart.
However, if both people are truly in love and willing to make it work, that’s all that matters. Here’s how to maintain long-distance relationships, made easy.
- Communicate
Easily the most important rule, you need to communicate very clearly. Love is not all that it takes to keep a relationship going, you need to trust your partner, communicate your needs and expectations and respect theirs. Communicate what you’re looking for, what you can and can’t do, what you’re feeling, and let them do the same.
And more importantly, listen and understand what they’re saying. When you’re in a relationship, it is the two of you against the problem, not you against each other. Take a problem-solving approach with conflicts and be open with what you feel and what you need.
- Give Space
It is important to give space in any relationship but this takes on a new level in long-distance ones. Understand that your partner can not be with you all of the time and neither can you be with them. Give them space to get back to you and don’t set too many expectations on either side.
Your partner will make time for you however they can and you need to trust them to do that. If you feel they aren’t, then communicate and work out a solution, but calling them incessantly every few hours and then getting upset that they can’t talk isn’t going to help at all.
- Spend Quality Time Together
This sounds difficult but is completely possible. The internet has made long-distance relationships a lot easier to manage and now, spending quality time together or going on virtual dates is easier than ever.
Take out an hour or two each week (or more if you can) and hop on zoom or Skype to watch a movie together, have dinner together, or just hang out and spend time with each other. This strengthens the bond and helps bridge some of the distance that feels overwhelming a lot of the time.
- Call Often
While this isn’t possible for every long-distance relationship, calling as much as you can and spending that time together might just be the best thing you can do. This replaces the time a regular couple might spend together and helps you strengthen your bond and reduce the loneliness and anxiety that otherwise might creep up.
Communicate with your partner and try to set out a minimum goal as to how much you can call throughout the week. This will help you both stay on the same page and keep up with realistic expectations.
- Work On Yourself
Long-distance relationships often bring out such issues to the forefront that you wouldn’t have to address in regular relationships. For example, if you have trust issues, normally, you’d ask your partner to let you check their phone if they’re comfortable but in a long-distance relationship, this isn’t possible.
If you don’t address these issues, they will eat you up and ruin your relationship. It is important to communicate troubles with your partner and see if that can be worked on by the other side or if they can only offer support while you work on it.
To be able to thrive in a healthy relationship, it is important to be constantly working on self-improvement, and this is absolutely critical for long-distance relationships.
In Conclusion
Long-distance relationships are difficult but that doesn’t mean they’re impossible. As long as you communicate, set proper boundaries, and cultivate mutual trust and respect, long-distance relationships become a lot easier. It is also important to remember that learning how to maintain long-distance relationships is very much a two-person job. And if both of you work together, it’s very possible to see your long-distance relationship bloom.
If you put in most of the effort while your partner doesn’t seem willing to put in even half of it, sadly, this isn’t a good sign. If the other person doesn’t seem to be reciprocating, talk to them about it and if worse comes to worst, put yourself first.
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This post is tagged in:
- long distance relationships
- maintain long distance relationships
- long distance relationship tips
- tips for healthy relationships
