Healthy and successful relationships require patience, understanding, and effort. However, there can be other factors outside of our control that make it difficult to maintain those relationships. Unfortunately, one of the most common barriers that can challenge relationships is distance.
Relationships might only be long-distance for a short period, but sometimes they can be entirely kept through distance. Yet, whatever the reasons for having a long-distance relationship, there’s plenty of helpful advice to help you maintain your relationship.
The list below covers some essential factors to implement and keep in mind when being in a long-distance relationship. While it’s impossible to say whether these factors will make your long-distance relationship any easier to handle, they will provide you with the skills needed to help remind you that your relationship isn’t defined by distance.
Four Helpful Tips for Long-Distance Relationships
Practice Empathy
Practicing empathy allows you to put yourself in your partner’s shoes, compelling you to understand and respect their feelings and actions. Practicing empathy is especially helpful when pursuing a long-distance relationship because it reminds you that you’re not going through it alone.
Chances are, everything that you’re feeling, your partner is feeling too. Therefore, you not only have to be mindful of how your partner’s actions, words, and efforts affect you, you also must think about how your behavior affects your partner and the relationship as a whole.
By having empathy towards your partner, you’ll be able to work past any issues you may face as a couple when dealing with physical distance.
Designate Time
Technology has made it easier to stay connected with loved ones, even when you're miles apart. Yet, in the same way you take time from your busy life to physically be with your partner when you’re not forced apart, the same has to be done when your relationship turns into a long-distance commitment.
This could mean setting aside a couple of hours every week to connect with your partner virtually without interruptions. If it becomes hard to designate time together due to time differences or other factors, just remember not to take it personally, as you both have other responsibilities outside of your relationship.
Pursue Personal Growth
Your relationship isn’t put on pause when distance comes between you and your partner; therefore, you shouldn’t put your personal growth on pause either.
Get Lasting writes that personal growth is a healthy sign of a secure relationship attachment because it allows each partner to mature independently.
Supportive relationships don’t fall apart when distance comes in between; it just might take extra effort to remind your partner that you’re there for them even if you aren’t physically together.
Communicate
No matter what happens, you must communicate with your partner. If you can’t answer their call or text because you’re busy, be sure to inform them once you are free.
If you’re finding it hard to stay positive about your long-distance relationship, communicate those feelings with your partner.
Talking through each other’s thoughts and worries will end up strengthening your long-distance relationship because it builds trust and transparency.
Communicating minimizes the chances of having an insecure long-distance relationship because you’ll always be aware of where you both stand in your commitment.
Relationships Can Survive the Distance
The best advice for long-distance relationships are tools that you can consistently use during your time apart. Your relationship is strong enough to survive the distance; you just have to be willing to put in the work and effort required.
Even when times get tough, it is important to remember that you’re never alone, no matter how many miles away you are from your loved one.
