Long-distance relationships are great. They have fun and adventure. What they also have are heartache, jealousy, and anger. There are more challenges to a long-distance relationship than there are to those that are physically together. This doesn’t mean that distance-based relationships do not work. On the contrary, when two people love each other and are committed to making everything work, these relationships outshine the rest.
Long-distance relationships are those where the couples are separated from each other because of a myriad of reasons – time differences, geographical disadvantages, work, study, or even families that move away. The greatest obstacle is the physical distance. Humans are physical creatures – they thrive on the oneness in relationships, familial bonds, physical love, and just the occasional hug or kiss. Long-distance relationships, at their crux, are absent from these things.
Most people that get into distance-based relationships do have a clue of what’s to come. However, once the distance gets real, the going gets tough. While each couple goes through their rollercoaster of emotions, there is a way to survive the distance and come out stronger.
This article will help you understand how to make all relationships work, not just those that are distance-based. These philosophies will help you survive long-distance relationships and make the other ones in your life healthy too.
Don’t Keep Thinking About Your Relationship Status:
You might think this point is counter-productive. It is not. To function in society, you must live your life freely. Freely living life does not mean you forget you are in a relationship or cheat on your partner, or forget he/she exists. No, you must remember that you are an individual first and then a part of a unit in your heart.
You do not have to walk around constantly thinking about your partner. You can take time off to read a book, finish some work, cook a nice meal, go for a run, and other things without letting each part of your life get overshadowed by your relationship. Remembering you are an individual will help you survive the distance, maintain a healthy relationship, and come out stronger for it.
Communicate Your Boundaries:
As with each relationship, it is necessary to understand each other and set some boundaries. By boundaries, we don’t mean lock the other person out. Instead, be clear about what you expect out of the communication process. If you are in a meeting or attending a conference, and your partner keeps calling you to come on a video call, you may end up yelling or lashing out. Instead, if you communicate in advance, explain how important the meeting is, and set a time to talk later, you both could have something interesting to look forward to. If you need to meet and discuss your relationship, you should get in touch with London’s Immigration Advice Service, and finalize all the documentation and visa details.
You do not have to schedule each call and text. Just a few things that are crucial to your career growth, mental health, and happiness. You should maintain a balance between your friends and your partner and find time and space for both. At the same time, we are not advocating that you do not make extra time for your partner (in fact, you should!). Initiating a healthy discussion about what works and what doesn’t will help you both in this challenging time.
Make Plans Together:
Thanks to the internet and social media, sharing content has become the easiest thing in the world. Just because you’re not physically together does not mean you cannot do things together. You could watch the same movie (at different times), listen to a shared playlist, send links to your favourite articles, podcasts, and more. Many couples even have a shared cloud space where they upload things that they like.
Some couples in long-distance relationships even have a meal together via video chat once a week. They cook their respective meals (breakfast, lunch, or dinner) and eat together over a video call. Sharing a meal and talking like you’re physically present is an excellent way to build your relationship. If you’re taking a walk in the park and like something you see, you could send an image to your partner or video call him or her to see the same puppy/ kitten playing. Small things like these help make the bond stronger. It also shows the other person you are thinking of them, and you want to share your experiences.
Effort is the key to surviving long-distance relationships. The more effort you put in, the better the result will be. Always remember, honesty, loyalty, and commitment in a relationship will make the meeting that much sweeter.
