Dating someone who lives far, far way can be a big drag, but believe it or not, there are ways to make a long distance relationship work. I speak from experience. Way back when, when my husband and I first started dating, we had a long distance relationship for THREE years! Yes, three! We really, really cared for each other and so we put the effort in and made it work. Now, we’ve been together for a total of 14 years and have been married for seven. We must’ve done something right! So, if you’re dating someone who lives a far away, rest assured that there are ways to make a long distance relationship work. Here’s my advice on the subject.
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1. Talk Every Day
One of the key ways to make a long distance relationship work is talking. Even if you have nothing to really talk about, you should make it a point to talk to each other once a day. Your conversation doesn’t have to be long or even have to be about something monumental; a simple phone call to say goodnight, I’m thinking about you and I love you is all that is needed.
2. Write Letters
Texts, emails and Facebook messages are a great way to communicate, but they aren’t really romantic. Send your long distance lover good old fashioned hand-written letters every once in a while. A hand-written letter received in the mail shows that you really took the time to show how much you care – and that you really, well, care. Plus, they are great keepsakes to hold onto.
3. Talk about Each Other
Another great way to keep your feelings for your long distance love front and center is by talking to others about him or her. Not only are you letting the world know how amazing your other half is, but you are reaffirming how amazing you think your other half is. Plus, when he or she comes to town, your friends will be able to say, “I’ve heard so much about you,” or “I heard you got a new job,” or whatever the case may be.
4. Don’t Stress
Being long distance is enough of a strain on a relationship; don’t add to this strain by constantly asking when you’re going to see each other, when you’ll be together or by telling the other you wish they were with you 5,000 times a day. It goes without saying that you want to be together physically, so saying it over and over again can make things stressful and really hurt the relationship in the end.
5. Keep It Alive
Make your long distance relationship exciting by keeping life in it. Falling into a set routine can make it expected and can actually hinder your relationship. Call at random times in the day, send a gift for no reason or plan a random trip to visit. The fresher and more alive your long distance relationship is, the more exciting it will be and the better the chance that it will work out.
6. See Each Other
You can’t very well make any relationship work without ever seeing each other. Make it a point to see each other as often as possible. Back when my husband and I were long distance, we would try to see each other at least once a month. And each time we saw each other, the stress of making our long distance relationship work was confirmed.
7. Have a Foreseeable End
You can’t stay long distance forever. Having a plan of when you’ll actually be living near each other is a necessity for making things work out. Make sure there is an end to the long distance in sight.
While long distance isn’t the ideal, if you really love each other, you can make it work. My husband and I are a true testament to that. Are you long distance with someone? How are you making it work?
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