My Boyfriend And I Are Long Distance, Here’s How We Make It Work

Long-distance relationships are hard. Anyone who is part of one will tell you that however, find ways to make it work and it can be well worth it! My job keeps me tied to Denver and North Carolina, traveling to and from for work. His job keeps him grounded in Wyoming, working in the oil field. Denver has been our home base, where our families are, and where we usually spend our quality time together. My boyfriend and I have been long distance for 11 years, yes you would expect that after 11 years we would be settled down, married, with a couple of kids by now. We do have the later, one child, which probably aids in helping our relationship and allows us to stay connected to each other, however, our child is not 11. We spent many years making this work before either of us even thought of having a child. It has not always been easy, in fact sometimes it has been very, very difficult. We work at it constantly, ensuring that each of us is happy and content in the relationship.

We Tell Eachother Everything

That’s right. We tell each other everything. From our work struggles to what we’re picking up at the grocery store. We make it a point to discuss what has frustrated us each day and what has made us happy. He could tell you every annoyance that occurs in my day to day work and I could tell you every piece of equipment that breaks down in his day. 

We Make Time For Date Night

When we are not able to be together, we make time for weekly Facetime date nights. Sometimes this means we Facetime each other and watch the new season of Yellowstone, other times we have a date night and cook our individual dinners together, discussing everything from music to politics and everything in between.

We Spend Every Holiday Together

We spend every holiday together, from Christmas to Easter, even Halloween and St. Patricks Day. Holidays are a time to be with family, and a long-distance relationship should not change this. Holidays have been very important moments for us, as they allow us to celebrate family and spend quality time together. Depending on the holiday, we will travel between families.  Much of this has to do with our child, as he often wants to spend one holiday with one side of the family, and others with the other side, however, if you are in a long-distance relationship, spending holidays together can be essential. Holidays allow for us to show love and gratitude for our family and friends, having someone to share this with can be very therapeutic and gratifying. 

We Travel On Weekends

To make the most of our time together, we will travel on long weekends to see each other. We will switch this back and forth, with him traveling to us more often than we travel to him. Whether we make it a family weekend (son in tote) or a weekend for the two of us, we prioritize our weekends together. Often times these weekends consist of staying in bed, ordering Door Dash breakfast, cuddling up, and enjoying each other. 

We Take Vacations Together

Traveling together is very important to us. It allows us to have memories and adventures together since we cannot spend each day together. We prioritize traveling, taking 4 or 5 trips each year together. These trips will consist of taking a trip up to Jackson Hole for an adventurous weekend or spending the week on the beaches of North Carolina. These trips allow us to reconnect after some time apart, enjoy each other and our family and make memories that will last a lifetime. 

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We Make Sex A Priority

Whether together or not, sex is always a priority. Sex not only makes you closer to your partner physically, but it also aids in emotional closeness as well. When we are physically together we make sex a nightly (even daily) activity and when we’re not, sexting is a great way for us to stay romantically connected. Making time for each other is very important to both of us and we ensure that we make up for any time lost. 

We Still Surprise Each Other

Long-distance relationships, or just a long relationship, can often become stale and unsurprising. This can make it difficult for people to stay connected and intrigued by their partners. To avoid this, we make it a priority to surprise each other. Whether it be a letter in the mail, a surprise gift sent their way, or a special visit, we take the time to surprise each other and excite each other. It is important for us to keep our relationship lively and exciting. Continue to surprise each other, your relationship will thrive and your partner will thank you. 

We Want It To Work

For long-distance relationships to work, you have to want them to work. You have to put in the effort. We work at it, constantly. We know that we want to be together, so we work at it and work at it, traveling, calling, surprising, to keep our relationship alive and well. For a long-distance relationship to work between you and your partner, you have to want it enough to go through difficult times, long flights, and special moments together. 

Long-distance relationships are not for everyone. Many people do not excel in relationships when they cannot be with their partner as often as they would like, understandably.  As two people who thrive on their own, a long-distance relationship has worked for us for quite some time. There will come a time when we choose to settle down however, being two people who do not thrive in one place, traveling to see our loved one works for us. Long-distance can be hard, but if you take the time to continuously show your partner that you are there for them and continue to make them part of your life, these types of relationships can work, thrive, and be extra rewarding.