What is a Long Distance Relationship?
The heart wants what it wants, and often this can mean falling in love with people who live thousands of miles away. The nature of life nowadays means we have access to spontaneous vacations and work trips to various global offices, putting us in situations where we are able to meet people from all over the world and from all walks of life.
Although this sounds amazing, and in most ways it certainly is, it does mean we are more likely to encounter the gut-wrenching heartache of falling for someone we can rarely spend time with in person.
That said, long distance relationships can be healthy, fulfilling and successful, despite needing a little extra work. It is difficult, but not impossible, to feel a connection with your other half despite not being together physically.
In this article, we offer our guidance on how to survive a long distance relationship. Read on to learn our very best long distance relationship tips including putting a focus on trust, communicating at the right times and more.
How to Survive a Long Distance Relationship
In order to survive a long distance relationship, we recommend doing the following things:
- Check in at both morning and night
- Avoid communicating excessively
- Have a plan in place for your next meet-up
- Focus on trust
- Prioritize the basics with regard to communication and gift-giving
Distance is Not a Barrier
While the nature of the modern world has meant we are more likely to meet (and fall in love with) people who live far away, technology is another aspect of our world that can make distances feel a little less vast.
The power of texting, phone calls and video calls allows us to keep a connection with our loved ones alive. Sure, communicating digitally is never a better substitute for the real thing, but during times when we feel lost and alone without our partners by our side, they become a lifeline.
Alongside this, they say that ‘distance makes the heart grow fonder’, and while this saying may feel like a kick in the teeth when distance feels like a strain, it's a statement that certainly holds value. When we learn to love each other, despite being miles apart, we are creating a foundation for love that is arguably stronger than most. Surviving this obstacle can help us to forge deeper, more meaningful relationships as physicality falls to the bottom of the priority list.
How To Stay Positive During a Long Distance Relationship
Surviving a long distance relationship can often come down to remaining positive, as it can be really hard to stay positive when all we want to do is be close to our partner. However, there are certain benefits unique to long distance relationships that are worth reminding ourselves of when we are feeling extra low.
For one, the times that we do spend together feel so much more special. We can revel in the excitement of counting down the days until our next visit, and when the moment does come, it can feel truly magical. Not only this, but the time spent apart can strengthen us both as individuals, allowing us to delve into our own pursuits and spend more time with our other loved ones.
Most of us will know people who grow reliant on their partners and cannot cope without them. Luckily, for those in long distance relationships, we never lose our sense of individuality, and this is a beautiful thing.
Is a Physical Relationship Important in True Love?
Almost every relationship requires physical intimacy in order for it to be fulfilling and meaningful. In fact, the lack of physical intimacy in a long distance relationship is one of the main reasons why they fail. However, being physical with your partner is only one piece of an eclectic puzzle, and when we lack this piece, we have to strive to make the absolute best of the rest.
So, in the periods of time between being with our partners in person, we have to focus on the elements of the relationship that you can find satisfying in the meantime. Sure, these periods can feel like forever, but it provides a great opportunity to put our energy into loving the non-sexual sides of a partnership.
Long Distance Relationship Tips
Long-distance relationships can be really rough, and keeping the fire blazing is far more difficult when your partner lives on the other side of the world. That said, there are certain things that can be incorporated into a relationship in order to keep things fun and exciting.
There are also things that may be less exciting, but serve to maintain a structure or routine, keeping a long distance relationship feeling more secure. Getting the right balance of both is a sure-fire way to keep a long distance relationship ticking over successfully. Read on to learn Mysticsense’s top 5 long distance relationship tips.
Check in at Both Morning and Night
Making sure to check in with one another every morning and night is important at making a long distance relationship feel a little more ‘normal’. In a typical relationship, partners may take these simple exchanges for granted, but they can mean so much more when thousands of miles separate you from your love.
If you’re regularly wondering ‘does he think of me?’, keeping to this simple routine can ensure that you never feel too far apart from each other in what are typically the loneliest times of the day.
Avoid Communicating Excessively
Although the above point is very important, is it just as important to make sure that you and your partner aren’t ‘overdoing’ it. Talking every hour of every day, whether it be through phone calls or text messages, is an excellent way to run a relationship into the ground.
Even long distance relationships can become all-consuming and exhausting at times, so making sure to keep the love alive by giving each other appropriate space is crucial.
Have a Game Plan
Also, make sure to always have the next meetup planned when you leave your partner after a visit. Doing so makes being apart feel less daunting and gives you both something to look forward to in the relationship.
Entering weeks and months of time apart, without an arranged visit lined up, can be incredibly draining on a relationship. Not only this, but aiming for an eventual end date to your long distance situation can help keep motivation up.
Put Trust First
To love is to trust, and surviving a long distance relationship can be tough if trust in one another is compromised. That said, when it comes to long distance relationships, trust can be one of the most difficult sticking points leading to the making or breaking of a partnership.
In short, long distance cannot work if the relationship is not built on a foundation of trust and security with your partner. Doubts and jealousies need to be ironed out as quickly as possible at the beginning stages of a relationship, and this can only really be achieved through solid communication.
Both partners need to be open about where their insecurities lie and how they feel it's best to approach them, despite being miles apart from each other. Examples of ways to keep trust strong in a long distance relationship is by letting your partner know when you are out and about.
Obsessively checking up on your other half is not the intention, rather, keeping in touch about plans is a great way to replicate the dynamics in a ‘normal’ relationship and remind them you are thinking of them.
Go Back to Basics
Technology is a godsend in the world of long distant dating, but don’t shy away from taking part in the more traditional gestures of a relationship to add a little extra touch of sentimentality after spending weeks and weeks apart.
For instance, sending handwritten letters, bouquets of flowers or hand-picking gifts to deliver to your love is a fantastic way to make a long distance relationship feel a little more personal. Putting in this extra bit of effort can really make a world of difference when you and your partner are miles apart.
How to Speak the Five Love Languages
There’s no point sugarcoating long distance relationships. They are really hard and take a lot of strength. However, we can try to regain a sense of normalcy in our far-flung partnerships by incorporating the five love languages.
You may be thinking that this is impossible, and sure, each love language may need a little modification in order to work successfully long distance, but finding fulfillment through these means is certainly achievable!
By learning which of the love languages your partner speaks, and figuring out which you like the most, the two of you can embrace communicating a little more deeply in your long distance relationship.
The five love languages are as follows:
- Acts of Service
- Physical Touch
- Quality Time
- Words of Affirmation
- Gift Giving
Acts of Service
The ‘acts of service’ love language refers to the occasions in which we provide practical support to our partners, in ways that make their life just that little bit easier. An example of providing acts of service for your partner while living far apart may include creating a digital planner for them, helping with their studies or sending care packages brimming with useful essentials.
Physical Touch
Ok, now this is the hard one. Physicality (or the lack of) is probably the biggest strain on a long distance relationship. So, with that in mind, how on earth can we incorporate the language of physical touch with partners living miles away?
Well, sending a partner an item of yours can help make a vast distance feel a little bit smaller. Sending pieces of clothing, infused with your scent or favorite perfume, is another great way to bring an element of physical touch to your long distance relationship.
Quality Time
Shared experiences in a long distance relationship can look a bit monotonous as time goes on. The excitement of daily texting and phone calls can peter out pretty fast, so knowing how to keep the fire alive through technology alone can be really difficult.
That said, creating a bucket list for you and your partner to enjoy when apart is a great way to spend quality time together. You could try various digital date nights, watching movies online, or simply both taking a walk in the park over video chat. The possibilities are endless and can be tailored to suit your own situation.
Words of Affirmation
Words of affirmation are a love language unhindered by physical distance. If you and your partner speak this language, make sure to keep up the praise, compliments, and reassuring words. Mixing it up by sending little handwritten love letters is also a fun way to show your partner just how much you care.
Gift Giving
Gift giving in today’s world couldn’t be easier. At the click of a button, we can send all sorts of wonderful presents to our loved ones, no matter where they are in the world. Setting up an Amazon wishlist for both you and your partner is a great way to keep tabs on the things you are interested in at the moment, and to surprise them with something nice when they least expect it.
Otherwise, creating a hand selected care package of all your partner’s favorite things is another fantastic way to show how much they mean to you.
Conclusion
Surviving a long distance relationship can be tough for many, however there are many things you and your partner can embrace to make the experience more enjoyable. From virtual date nights, to not overdoing it on communication, having a proactive approach to long distance relationships is key.
There are many resources at Mysticsense that can guide you with your learning and provide insight for any other questions you may have. Get started by learning more about surviving long distance relationships at Mysticsense today!
