TIPS FOR LONG DISTANCE
RELATIONSHIP: A long distance relationship
takes hard work and
commitment to grow and thrive.
These tips will help keep your
relationship strong even with
thousands of miles in between you and your partner.
They say "Absence makes the
heart grow fonder," but anyone
who is or has been in a long
distance relationship knows the
key to success is more than just absence. Long distance
relationships are built on
loyalty, trust, and respect. While
these relationships sometimes
are misunderstood by those
who are not involved, the couple who is committed to making it
work knows that the challenges
posed by distance can become
strengths in the relationship.
Long distance is not for every
couple, but for those who know they have found their soul
mates, a few thousand miles
cannot keep love from growing
and blooming into a beautiful
relationship. The following 10
tips can help a long distance relationship jump over the
hurdles and make it to the
finish line - when both
members of the couple are in
the same city for good. Tip #1: Make a game plan -
When a long distance
relationship is beginning to
form, it is important for both
members to determine what
they want to do for the short and long terms. As with all good
relationships, it's important to
remember to make each person
comfortable with the plan and
to allow for give and take as the
relationship evolves. Tip #2: Communication is key -
let the other person know how
much you miss them and love
them. With thousands of miles
in between you and your
beloved, it's easy to become insecure, so try to nip that in the
bud. Make the person know how
much you care by telling them
how much you love and miss
them every time you speak. Tip #3: Be there for the person
in good times and bad times.
The phrase "I'm only a phone
call away" takes on new
meaning to those in a long
distance relationship. Whereas people in local relationships can
see each other to celebrate
their successes and reach out
for a hug or shoulder to lean on
when things do not go so well,
people in long distance relationships need to provide
that support on the phone. Be
able to be reached when you say
you will be, then listen and
respond accordingly to the news
you hear from the other end of the line. Tip #4: Make the commitment.
Long distance relationships are
tough, so they definitely need
the commitment of both parties
in order to make it through the
often long days and nights. While it can take a lot of work
to make a long distance
relationship work, remember
that it is worth it because it
could be your soul mate that you
are talking to each night before you go to sleep. Tip #5: Send old-fashioned
letters and packages through
the mail. Everyone loves to see
personal mail in the mailbox
instead of simply finding bills
there day after day. Not only that, but it's romantic to see the
thoughts and emotions of your
loved one spelled out in a card
or a letter. Snail mail also gives
you the opportunity to send care
packages filled with your sweetheart's favorite things,
remembrances of you or a
special day, or even inside jokes
the two of you share. The use of
old-fashioned mail gives your
relationship a sense of romanticism that often is
overlooked - plus, it's fun! Tip #6: Uncork the bottle. If
something is bothering you, say
it. Do not let it build up because
it is noticeable on the phone or
in notes if you are not 100%
happy with something. Not dealing with problems directly
always is tough, but in a long
distance relationship that
depends on honest and open
communication, it is imperative
to discuss these issues right from the start. Tip #7: Use technology to your
advantage. E-mails, text
messages, and the advances in
Web cameras really help long
distance lovers stay close
throughout the long spaces in between visits. E-mails and text
messages allow you to send
short notes of love and short
updates on what you are up to
in your hometown while the
other person goes on with his/ her day. The Web cam is a huge
advancement for long distance
relationships as it allows for the
two of you to have face-to-face
conversations as long as both of
you have an Internet connection and a camera. Seeing your
sweetheart's facial expressions
can often make what would
have been a normal old phone
conversation turn into an
amazing meeting between the two of you. Remember to use
these technologies to say "I love
you" as often as possible. Tip #8: Common interests give
you topics to discuss. When you
live in the same city, it is easy to
find things to talk about
because you constantly are
sharing experiences. When you live apart, those shared
experiences are few and far
between. Common interests
help both of you know that you
will have something to chat
about each time you get on the phone or see each other in
person. If you enjoy hockey,
encourage your loved one to
watch a game or two with you,
then this could be another
shared interest for the two of you. If your significant other
decides to pick up tennis while
you live apart, sign yourself up
for some lessons and you may
just find yourself to be an ace
on the court and off! Tip #9: Make the other person
remember how great you are!
Talk about the good things
about your life and remind your
loved one about how great you
are. If you wear your favorite outfit to the office and know
that you looked fabulous, tell
your significant other about
how super you looked in that
outfit that both of you like so
much; chances are your better half will hear this and smile
with memories of how you
always look good wearing that
outfit. If you do something
great, share it - it is easy to
share the bad times with your partner, but be sure to include
that person in on all the good
times, too. This will remind him
or her about the wonderful
person on the other end of the
phone call and make the desire to see you in person even
greater. Tip #10: Plan visits. Nothing can
take the place of a visit from
your partner who lives far away.
Plan the visit, then make sure
that person gets all the quality
time he/she deserves during that time (for example, do not
plan a night out with the girls
the night your boyfriend
arrives). Be sure to enjoy each
other's company when you are
together because this is a major part of what will keep your
relationship alive during the
weeks, months, or years apart. Following these tips may not
make your long distance
relationship perfect, but it
should help you make the best
of your time apart and keep
your relationship on solid footing until you two are lucky
enough to end up in the same
city. Good luck!