Long distance relationships can be challenging and frustrating at times. It takes a lot of effort to maintain genuine connections, especially with the obstacles that distance brings. However, making the relationship work is possible if both you and your partner are willing to work at it and let go of your expectations.
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Here are some tips you can incorporate to help you overcome obstacles during your absence.
Ways to keep the love alive in your long distance relationship
Make Trust the foundation of your connection
A critical factor in successfully overcoming the obstacles of a long-distance relationship is trust. It is a vital element in any relationship, which should be your goal to create lasting connections.
Don’t think that building trust is only about sexual fidelity—you can break your partner’s trust in many ways, big and small.
For example, can your special someone trust you to stick to your plans, or do you put them aside when something more “urgent” or a better social opportunity comes up? Can you count on them to help you feel heard and understood when the going gets tough? Equally important, can they count on you to reciprocate and do the same?
Trust is a two-way street that is earned and is vital for your partner. Building trust is a constant work in progress to ensure that individual and couple needs are met.
Find ways to create quality time even when you are apart
Even though you’re in a long-distance relationship, it’s vital that you find ways to be present in each other’s lives. Spending quality time together at intervals will strengthen the bond between you. Doing this will also help you get to know your partner better, identifying their likes and dislikes, their values and dreams, and their love languages.
Romantic ideas that nurture love and connection despite the distance on Valentine’s Day or ordinary days will ignite your love. You can bond over a mutual love of movies by setting dates for arguments on the weekends. If you both like online games, you can find one that you can level up together.
The point is to find an activity that you can both enjoy as a couple. This mutual enjoyment will make you feel more connected and even improve the quality of your relationship.
Communicate and talk about important issues
Communication is more than just asking what you had for breakfast or how your day went. You also talk about important issues with your partner, including your feelings of fear, apathy or insecurity. If something bothers you, it’s best to be open and honest with each other.
In a long-distance commitment, it’s easier to hide things from your partner. However, it is best to deal with any problem that arises from the beginning to avoid further conflict. Doing this will prevent unnecessary grudges from building up keep score in your relationship.
Discussing difficult issues over the phone or on Facetime can be uncomfortable. However, things can only be resolved if you give your partner a chance to support and reassure you. This slide will also solve small fights and allow you to meet in the middle.
Related reading: “3 Mindful Ways to Communicate Better in a Relationship.”
Set your sights on mutual goals
When it comes to long distance relationships, setting your sights on mutual goals can help keeping love alive. It’s an important conversation you and your partner will inevitably have about a possible future together. It is also something stable that you can hold on to and look forward to in difficult times.
Establishing long-term goals is crucial to making sure you’re on the same page. This focus will determine the direction of your relationship, including an agreed upon and valued period apart. Couples won’t stay in a long distance commitment forever.
Often, it is individual goals that require couples to be apart. When the time is right and all objectives have been met, you can be ready to merge your worlds. Creating a foolproof plan with your specialist will help prepare you for this giant leap. It will also motivate you when you feel down because you are not with the person you love.
Stay positive and encourage each other
There’s no denying that a long-distance relationship can be painfully lonely and painful. The waiting period is incredibly frustrating, with the desire to see your person grow as time goes on. However, you have to stay positive through it all and realize that things won’t always be like this.
A simple trick to help you redefine your situation as favorable is to see the benefits of this type of relationship. First, you can focus on your partner and give them your all while you are together. On the other hand, you can devote more to work, studies and family when you are apart.
Distance can also make you and your partner appreciate each other more. Appreciation increases what they do for you, like aligning their hectic schedule with yours to connect more often. There can be downsides to long distance connections, but there are many silver linings.
Invest in thoughtful gifts
Gift giving is not a practice strictly reserved for important occasions. Do it occasionally, even unexpectedly, to surprise your partner and show your thoughtfulness for your loved one. This gesture is especially valuable if you are in a long-distance relationship, surprising them with a gift full of love and care. And if gifts are your partner’s love language, so much the better!
It doesn’t matter if you’re on a tight budget. What is important is to convey your feelings with a simple gesture of remembering them and what they like. It is also a great opportunity to show your creativity and your effort to please your partner.
It could be a simple handwritten letter full of adoration for them. You could even book a spa known for rejuvenation massage techniques if they feel under the weather. Simply put, a special gift shows that you are thinking of them even from miles away.
Final Words
Getting into a long distance relationship isn’t easy, but all relationships take work. You may encounter obstacles during your absence, but you can make it through if your love is active and willing to build a future with your partner. As you work towards your goals as a couple, time will fly by and soon you will be in each other’s arms.