How do you make your long-distance relationship successful?
If you’re in a long-distance relationship, chances are you suspected that it wasn’t going to be easy. You might find that such a relationship is harder than you’d anticipated initially.
Long-distance relationships suck, and they come with their own unique challenges. There are the good, the bad, and the ugly that go with this type of relationship.
Even if you try to emotionally and logistically prepare yourself for a long-distance relationship, there’s a good chance that you’ll be confronted with problems you hadn’t anticipated.
Regardless of how much you love one other, a part of you is certainly wondering how or if your relationship will survive the distance between you. That isn’t to say that all long-distance relationships are doomed to fail, or that they aren’t worth trying.
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Here are some pointers on how to make your long-distance relationship successful and strong:
Good Communication is Key
To make a long-distance relationship successful, communication is a vital key. There are many different types of communication, and not all of them are productive. Not only does how you say things matter, but so does what you say.
Communication between you and your partner should happen organically. You don’t have to create rules that you must have X number of calls every day or that you need to talk every night at a certain time.
You should communicate with each other when you want to, not when you feel obligated to because you need to adhere to a set schedule. If that means not communicating for a few days, then be it.
After all, people get busy, and taking a few days off every now and again is actually beneficial to your relationship.
Communication is certainly crucial in any relationship, but in a long-distance relationship, more communication isn’t necessarily beneficial for both of you, especially when it’s forced.
When you force conversation, there’ll be days when you don’t have much to talk about or you don’t feel like talking. When this happens, you end up spending time talking to your partner because you feel compelled, not because you want to.
Furthermore, forcing communication between you two might cause one or both of you to dislike feeling obligated to interact. This resentment can lead to pointless disputes.
The best way to avoid this mistake is to make all communication optional.
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______ ______ ______Take Advantage of Today’s Technology
To make your long-distance relationship successful, there are now many ways to stay connected. Thanks to technology at your disposal, you have Zoom, FaceTime, and other face-to-face chat programs.
Being able to see your other half virtually can really make a difference. You can share your day-to-day activities in real-time with photos, texts, and FaceTime.
That’s much better than letters or long-distance phone calls.
Avoid Discussing Certain Topics By Text
If you need to discuss something with your partner that involves certain topics such as one of your exes, religion, or politics, it’s best to talk about those in a phone or video call instead of trying to communicate over text.
Be Committed to Your Relationship
It’s important to know that you’re truly committed to your relationship before wasting precious time on it. Do you love this person enough? Is he/she worth foregoing being single and yet in a relationship?
You don’t want to go through the motions of a long-distance relationship and fritter away months or years of your life if you’re not committed enough to make it last.
Be Confident in Your Relationship
Insecurity can lead to you or your partner checking in on the other person too often. This can lead to excessive phone calls and texts messages resulting in unnecessary tension.
If you or your partner feels insecure in your long-distance relationship, it will be difficult to reassure the anxious person, while the other partner will likely be turned off by the constant checking in.
When couples are separated by distance, the frequency of interaction must be correlated to the same parameters of interaction as it would’ve been when both are at home. It must be at a level that is acceptable to both parties.
Be Supportive of Each Other
In any relationship, you and your partner should be each other’s biggest supporters. You should find ways to support and promote each other’s goals.
Such goals may be health, fitness, work, or school. Remember also to check in on your partner’s goals on a regular basis. Develop kind and compassionate ways to check in on each other’s happiness.
Understand Each Other’s Expectations
Because there may be no commonly accepted “rules” for your long-distance relationship, you and your partner may have differing expectations. It’s important that you both adequately manage your expectations of each other.
To make your long-distance relationship successful, you should address such expectations as how much is required of you in terms of communication. You should also agree on how often you’re going to be seeing each other.
Feel free to share with your partner what you feel is an ideal image of your relationship.
Set Clear Rules and Boundaries
When you’re in a long-distance relationship, you should do your best to stay out of situations that might make your partner feel uncomfortable or threatened. For instance, you shouldn’t post anything on social media that you wouldn’t want your partner to see.
To make your long-distance relationship successful, you should both set clear rules and boundaries that work for both of you, and abide by them.
Set An End Date and An End Goal
While a long-distance relationship might be wonderful for a while, you’ll undoubtedly want to be in the same place as your partner at some point. Knowing when that will happen should be important to both of you.
A long-distance relationship cannot thrive in perpetual limbo. There’s no point in investing your time and energy in a relationship that doesn’t have a specific end date.
You should both have some kind of plan involving one or both of you moving to a common location at some point in the future. It’s hard being apart, so you both have to be on the same page about how long this situation will last, and what the plan is for eventually living in the same place.
Learn Each Other’s Daily Schedules
If you’re in a long-distance relationship, not hearing from your partner when you expect to can cause you a lot of anxiety. You might be wondering if they’re alright or if they’re mad at you. Did you do something to make them feel bad? These are all thoughts that might be going through your head.
Learning each other’s schedules is one approach to getting around this hurdle. It’s crucial to know when your partner is sleeping, at work, at the gym, and so on.
This way, you don’t annoy them or feel ignored when you’re not able to reach them. Knowing each other’s routines might also make you feel more involved in each other’s daily lives.
Let the other person know what your daily schedule looks like, and keep each other informed of any major changes.
Give Each Other Space
To make your long-distance relationship successful, knowing each other’s daily schedule and establishing emotional intimacy are critical. However, giving each other space is also essential.
You wouldn’t be with each other 24/7 unless you were married or living together. Therefore, don’t expect your long-distance relationship to be the same.
Remember to take a step back and pause your conversations throughout the day, even if you feel more connected to your phone or computer than usual.
This will allow you to treat your relationship the same way you would if you were together in person. You and your partner wouldn’t feel boxed in.
Make Fun Plans About Things to Look Forward to Together
You should take pleasure in the specifics of what you and your partner will do the next time you see each other. Make plans for the next weekend you’ll be together.
On a regular basis, propose and discuss the exciting activities you’ll do when next you’re together. This will give both of you something to look forward to.
You can both set up video call dates for activities like virtually cooking a favorite meal or having coffee together on a weekend morning when you’re both free.
______ ______ ______Stick to Your Meeting Schedules
If you’re in a long-distance relationship, you don’t want to go long periods of time without seeing each other. To keep your relationship going you need to see one another from time to time.
You should know when you’re going to see each other and be able to trust that the other person will stick to that plan and not disappoint.
Being in a long-distance relationship means missing out on opportunities to meet each other’s friends and family, as well as seeing mutual friends.
You and your partner should make time for meeting up virtually for a cup of coffee or a glass of wine with other important individuals in your life. This will make you feel less solitary and allow you and your partner to interact with other people.
Let your mutual friends support you in your long-distance relationship while you continue to get to know your partner.
Frequently Remind Your Partner What You Love About Your Relationship
Long-distance relationships can be fraught with doubts, fears, and envy due to the fact that you spend so much time apart. To make your long-distance relationship successful, it is recommended that you give each other frequent verbal affirmations and assurances.
These assurances will aid in reducing negative feelings and clarification of your relationship’s position. Tell your sweetheart how much you love and cherish your relationship the next time you communicate.
Exchange thoughtful gifts as often as you can, as a reminder of your love and devotion to each other.
If you’re unsure about your position, don’t be hesitant to seek reassurance for yourself. It’s as lovely to say as it is to hear, “I love you and wish we could be together today.”
Focus on The Positive Aspects of Long-Distance Relationships
Being apart from the person you love can hardly be described as a good thing. If you can’t change your circumstances right away, at least you can change your mindset and learn how to value and appreciate your long-distance status.
When you’re together, you should give your partner your undivided attention. When you’re separated, you should concentrate on work. studies, social activities, or whatever reason you’re away from each other.
Try to think of a few ways your long-distance relationship is actually advantageous, as frustrating as it may appear.
Maybe the distance affords you more me-time for exercise, hobbies, or socializing with your friends and family.
You should make a list of the advantages and positive aspects of your long-distance relationship and concentrate on them on the days when the distance is getting to you.