Long-distance relationships, as they say, are the most difficult type of relationship anyone can go through. You need as much patience, sometimes even more, as the love you have for each other. You need time, especially if you both live in different time zones. You need to endure hours of travel and almost all the time, you prepare money for your trip, your dates, and occasional gifts.
If you love each other deeply, giving up is not an option. Here are 10 things to remember when you are in an LDR.
1. Be Honest
First and most important rule of long-distance relationships – and any relationship, really – is to always be honest and be open to your partner. A successful relationship is built in trust and love. For LDRs, one crack in your “trust glass” can ruin the entire thing.
Be transparent about yourself and your emotions always.
2. Do Stuff Together
Activities you can do together when you are in opposite locations may be limited, so be sure to try out these activities to have bonding time.
It can be as simple as watching a Youtube clip together, watching the same movie or singing while you are on your video call.
3. Make Long-term Plans
You are not in a relationship just because you want to be in a relationship, and especially not on LDRs.
When you enter a long-distance relationship, you do so because you have long term plans to be with your partner and you are willing to forego the distance. Be sure to make your plans together.
4. Set Your Ground Rules
Expectations are important when it comes to LDRs because when a problem arises, you won’t always be there to jump in and fix everything. Create your rules especially when you have arguments.
Set a limit when the conversation becomes too harsh for both of you.
5. Avoid Doing Things Your Partner Will Dislike
You have to consider that LDRs are built mostly on trust and honesty, which is sometimes made even more difficult because of the distance. Never give your partner a reason to distrust you. Once an LDR begins to have trust issues, it becomes an avalanche that ruins all you have worked for.
This means you should avoid doing stuff that displeases your partner like going to clubs, getting drunk, or hanging out regularly with the opposite sex.
6. Plan a Vacation
Vacations are your common ground. When you are busy all year round, plan a week-long or longer vacation time to meet your partner.
It would be better to go somewhere far or not from where you both are. Meet half-way and see the world one city and trip at a time. Traveling together is also one way to strengthen your relationship.
7. Talk Dirty
Like we said – be creative with your communication. When it comes to long-distance relationships, lovemaking can be seldom because of the distance obviously. Thus, you use words to make love to your partner.
Through creative and imaginative communication, you can make love with your partner with even just your voice.
8. Avoid Routine Messages
Routine and generic messages such as a plain “good night” or “have a great day” may be a little difficult to avoid, but you should remember that you are in a unique type of relationship that depends mainly on communication rather than body language.
While you are being made free from the regular efforts of couples who live together, make the effort of being creative in terms of communication.
9. Be Updated with Each Other’s Life
Long-distance relationships give you more reason to be updated with each other’s lives, such as their work environment, their friends, and their family. It’s good to talk about this stuff during your calls and it displays concern for each other.
Also, stay updated on social media and tag each other in photos, links, and articles that you want to share with the other.
10. Do a Video Call Any Time Possible
The good thing about today’s technology is that communication is way easier. When they had snail mail before, now you can literally see eye to eye with your partner through a video call.
As long as you have an internet connection – which is quite easy to acquire, by the way – a video call is as easy as talking to your partner like they are actually there.
This is what makes many LDRs bearable and successful. With the help of technology, you can talk to your partner at any time of the day. Be sure to make time for your partner to do a video call. It is, after all, your main way to communicate regularly.
There are many successful long-distance relationships. Couples who choose to make it work despite the odds. The important thing to remember is that you are both in control of your relationship and you can always choose to stand by your love.