They say distance is the worst hindrance a couple will ever encounter in their relationship. Those who have long distance relationships say it’s a lot of work with very little payoff. But don’t fret. Just because your significant other happened to be a thousand miles away from you doesn’t mean you couldn’t make it work. With the proper amount of effort from both parties, you will be enjoying your long distance relationship a lot more than your friends who can only be in a happy relationship if their partner lives within a 5-mile radius.
Never forget to talk to each other every day. When it comes to making a long distance relationship work, any type of relationship actually, communication is the key. You also need to call not just once but many times throughout the day. Here’s why: You never see each other and you’re already deprived of the basic perks in love. Make sure you carve out an amount of time from your daily schedule, while keeping each other’s time zones in mind.
Don’t go on dates with others. Although this isn’t necessarily an original idea, dating other people is the most common mistake those in a long distance relationship make! Even if you try to rationalize that your little dates lack any sort of emotional investment, going out with other people is a sure way to turn your long distance relationship into a long series of hate-filled drunk dialling.
Unfortunately, because of the advancement in communication, it’s easy to misinterpret a text from someone. For example, what you thought was an opportunity to eat a burger with a new friend you met on the subway was actually a date you unknowingly consented to. So the best way to avoid this is to just avoid any advances from people you don’t really know.
Never forget to text each other. This is actually a bit different from Point One. Aside from setting aside hours of your day for each other, you should also spend time texting each other. Those short text messages you send each other about where you go or what you’re currently doing further cements trust in your relationship.
Save your money. Instead of splurging your salary when payday comes, spend your money on plane tickets and gasoline. Fly out to see each other. Fly out for fun. Meet halfway. Skip work on the laziest days of the month whenever you can.
Make Skype your bestfriend. Because of the Internet, there are a lot of things which you could do together even if you’re a thousand miles apart. You can drink together, watch a movie, listen to your favorite band, tell each other stories, show each other pictures of your friends, have a sing-a-long, and yes, sit naked in front of your webcam.
Send small gifts. Who doesn’t love presents? And if you just widen your imagination, there’s a wide range of gift choices. You can order your significant other’s favorite book on Amazon and have it delivered to his or her doorstep. You can look for some restaurant near his or her workplace that has your favorite food and send him or her lunch.
Be realistic about your relationship. Like with every romantic bond, a long distance relationship could either lead to a breakup or a life-long commitment. How much time and effort you put in depends on the both of you. But doing these things month after month, year after year, is exhausting. Talk about your goals and figure out what you both want. Ultimately, you will need to turn your long distance relationship into a close distance one.
Distance is just one of many problems couples face and getting professional help from a therapist in South Florida might just help you get over your different issues. Get in touch with Rebecca Ginder now and set up an appointment here!
