10 Tips For Thriving In A Long Distance Relationship
Long distance relationships are no joke and take much more work than anyone could have ever expected. With work and patience, a long distance relationship can be both successful and healthy. Here are 10 tips for thriving in a long distance relationship, not in any particular order:
1. Plan Ahead
One of the biggest tips that I can give to anyone in a long distance relationship is to always have the next trip planned to see each other before your current trip ends. This has helped my long distance relationship immensely. While this may seem like such a simple thing to do, I cannot tell you how much easier it has made my current long distance relationship. Knowing when you’re going to see your significant other again gives you the ability to look forward to seeing them again. So instead of worrying what’s next, you’ll already know.
2. Communication Is Key
This is probably the single most important tip on the entire list. Without communication nothing is successful, especially in a long distance relationship where the amount of face-to-face contact is limited. Communication can come in any form and is appreciated as long as you are communicating. I personally love any form of video calling the best, but I take what I can get when I can get it. You also learn to realize that your life does not stop when you’re significant other isn’t with you all the time. Life goes on. I always at least send a text saying that I’m busy and will text/call them as soon as I get a moment. That way your significant other is aware that you aren’t ignoring them. Also, never let them go to bed mad. Always hash out your arguments completely and never let them pass into the next day. Communicating is the key to any relationship, but definitely the most important to a long distance relationship.
3. Facetime Dates
While in-person dates are obviously difficult if you’re in a long distance relationship, dates are not impossible. With my significant other, we schedule weekly FaceTime dates with each other and sometimes go as fair as making the same dinner so it’s like we’re having a real date. Besides the official FaceTime date we schedule, we typically FaceTime every night before we go to bed so we can at least see each other for a short period of time for that day.
4. Date Nights
So while we do have our virtual date nights, it’s also very important to utilize your time together wisely when you do get to see them in person. Typically my trips to visit my significant other last around 5 days. With those 5 days, we try to plan at least 2 date nights where it’s just the two of us out to dinner or doing an activity together alone. This one on one time is extremely important for not only building a relationship, but making sure your significant other is receiving enough personable time from you.
5. Space and Trust
Along with communication are these next two things: space and trust. It’s especially important in a long distance relationship to trust your partner. Any relationship cannot last without trust. But with long distance you need to make sure you trust your significant other 110%. While normal couples get to see each other everyday, you may only see your significant other every few weeks or even months. If you don’t build your relationship on trust, there is no relationship. With trust comes the ability to give your significant other space. Obviously you don’t see them all the time, but it is necessary to let them have their space from you and for you to have your space from them. And by that I mean not being attached to your phone 24/7 to respond to them and spending time with friends and family.
6. Surprises
While the previous 5 items on this list are absolutely necessary and some even building blocks to relationships, this one is extra. While not necessary it’s definitely a good one to keep your significant other on their toes. For instance, sending your significant other a package like the one below. Yellow because they bring sunshine into their life. Or blue, because you’re blue without them. Or for instance my significant other was coming to visit on a Saturday and surprised me by coming 3 days early and surprising me Wednesday while I was at work. It’s things like this that keep relationships exciting and fresh because you aren’t expecting it.
7. Phone Calls
With communication comes the many forms. While I previously touched on video calling, next up we have phone calls. Phone calls are important in long distance relationships because they allow you to hear the tone of voice of your significant other, which can’t be done through a text or snapchat message. I try to call my significant other at least once a day just to hear their voice, and make sure that we’r eon the same page with everything that’s going on.
8. Countdowns
With planning, comes the countdown to the next event. Countdowns help me look forward to the next time I will see my significant other. They allow me to realistically see how long we are spending a part and how far we’ve come since the last time we’ve seen each other. I know I always do better with a visualization, and this was the way to give me one.
9. Pictures
So obviously you aren’t seeing your significant other everyday. I find it extremely important to see each other in some sort of way everyday. The easiest way for us to do this is through pictures. I always take a variety of pictures either together or of my significant other alone when we are together. These let me bring back previous memories and allow me to look forward to things in the future.
10. Saving Money
So long distance isn’t the cheapest. Lots of traveling isn’t cheap. I personally half to fly every time I see my significant other. Flights can cost hundreds of dollars. So we’ve learned how to set money aside in order to pay for these things. Having money there when I need it, in order to visit my significant lifts a huge weight off my shoulders.
Which tip do you think is the most applicable to your relationship? Let me know in the comments down below!
