Long distance relationships are not easy, but they can thrive with the right mindset and approach. It’s a common experience for couples to find themselves separated by distance, whether they are dating or already married.
In fact, some couples attribute their strong bond to a period of extended separation.
To help couples sustain, make it through, and even thrive in a long distance partnership or marriage, The Love Shadows has curated a list of top advice from our personal experiences to deal with such situations.
Hopefully, it won’t be long before you and the one you love are back together.
How can you make a long distance relationship work?
1. Maintain solid Interaction or connection:
As much as necessary to maintain a sense of connection some couples seek constant reconnection and talking every day can be tiresome for some other people.
However, the place of interaction cannot be misplaced; the small talk and quality time spent voice calling, texting, sexting, or using video chat in a day or a week goes a long way to validating and nourishing the existence of the relationship. Additionally, one should be willing to alter his or her communication style as life presents you with fresh and unexpected demands.
2. Be Ever-Present:
Even if you can’t physically be there, seem to be there.
According to the study, the partnerships where each partner can properly answer the emotional cries of the other are the ones that are the happiest. The countless little attempts to connect with one another constitute emotional calls.
Being in a long-distance relationship might make it challenging to respond to each other’s emotional calls. Even if you are unable to physically attend each other’s milestone celebrations or give hugs to reassure others that doesn’t lessen the significance of this essential component for a successful partnership.
3. Be Deliberate About Your Partner
Long-distance partners might need to be more deliberate about how they react to one another’s attempts to connect.
You may show your spouse that you’re there for them no matter how far away you are by incorporating their needs into your day.
4. Express sincere affection for your partner and your union.
Because you’re apart for such a lengthy time, long-distance relationships can be fraught with doubts, fears, and jealousy. Therapists advise clients to frequently assure one another verbally of their commitment to the relationship. These help lessens those uncomfortable feelings and makes it clear where you two stand.
Telling your partner how much you value and cherish their connection when you speak to them helps keep them sane and calm. And if you’re at the receiving end and unsure of your position, don’t be hesitant to seek assurance for yourself from your partner.
5. Create stronger bonds based on goals advancement:
Supporting your partner as they develop their unique abilities and interests is one of the best things you can do to encourage a solid bond.
You and your partner are bound to develop and evolve as life goes on, whether you’re close or apart.
Long-distance partners who feel confident in their relationship should naturally allow the other to develop and thrive. This is a testament to the awareness of the relationship’s strength and virility.
6. Identify methods to spend quality time:
The healthiest type of connections for marriage and other romantic relationships, according to research, are interdependent ones. Why does that matter? This means that while keeping your distinct identities, you and your spouse nonetheless act in unison. Although, your long-distance circumstances might likely force you to do more things independently than you would prefer. For this reason, it’s crucial and advisable to choose a few activities that you can complete remotely while working together.
Sharing common experiences with your long-distance partner makes your connection more cohesive. Regardless of distance, finding activities (live or virtual) that can be done by either of you as a couple can be a massive boost for the relationship.
7. Practice effective communication techniques:
All couples need to learn constructive ways to discuss and resolve disagreements, regardless of whether they are together or separated from one another. Ignoring little issues or refusing to discuss delicate subjects might lead to bigger issues.
It takes time and effort to learn how to discuss difficult subjects, but it’s crucial to the longevity of your long-distance relationship that you avoid letting minor issues turn into major ones.
8. Emphasize the good parts:
It might rarely seem advantageous to be apart from the person you are deeply in love with. Whereas you can’t change your circumstances right away, you can immediately alter your mindset.
Despite how annoying being apart might seem, try to keep your head from getting lazy and avoid negative thoughts about the relationship. Have you found extra time to engage in hobbies, exercise, or spend time with friends and family? Make a note of all the good things about your long-distance relationship and keep these in mind on the tougher days when you feel the distance the most.
9. Recognize the basis for distance:
There will undoubtedly be times when your long-distance relationship feels particularly challenging. The urgency to be with the person you love would be ridiculously high, you could even feel inclined to act impulsively.
Even while it seems romantic, keep in mind there’s a significant reason you’re now far away from the person you love. This may be due to a need for the correct resolution of a work-related, financial, or familial matter until the time is ripe for you both to be physically present together.
Don’t let your impatience to be together cause you to waste months or years of progress. Completing what you’ve started would make your connection stronger in the long run.
10. Make long-term plans for integrating your worlds:
Make sure your plan takes into account the appropriate next move for both parties at the appropriate time, whether this entails a wedding, an engagement, a work change, or a relocation.
Difficult days of being apart would be bearable and a little easier when one is aware the relationship has a future with them in it. That tiny glimmer of optimism might make the person you love appear closer than you might have thought.