A long-distance relationship (LDR) can be like turbulent waters, but does it have to be? With the following tips, you can navigate these waters and come out unscathed.
Set couple goals
Any LDR will suffer without a well-defined purpose in view. What exactly are you both doing? At what relationship stage do you plan to be in say six months or one year? How long are you both going to be apart? A LDR without an end in sight to the distance cannot work.
Some types of relationships can survive “going with the flow” but not LDR; if both of you are not on the same page, it can’t work.
Decide boundaries
Many problems in relationships are associated with little or no boundaries set in place. You both need to discuss and answer questions like, are dates with other people allowed? Is this an open or exclusive relationship? And many other issues.
You will also need to discuss what infidelity and loyalty mean to you both.
Be honest with each other
It’s vital to be completely honest in a LDR; considering how fragile it is naturally, you don’t want to be poking holes in it with dishonesty. To be honest with your partner, you should first consider situations that may cause you to be dishonest, and seek to avoid such situations.
Don’t become boring
At some point, regardless of how much we love our partners, the chances are, we get bored with them. Getting bored in any relationship is the beginning of the end. At this junction, you do everything as an obligation and not because you want to.
Couples in long-distance relationships suffer this when they try to suffocate their lovers with attention and constant communication – even when they don’t have anything meaningful to talk about – in a bid to make up for the distance.
Try to spend time with family, friends, and colleagues. Having a life outside your relationship is healthy and can prevent you from getting paranoid or obsessed.
Plan visits and vacations
Besides the ultimate end to the distance between you both, visits are usually the highlights of LDRs. You will probably spend weeks or months discussing and planning the visitation, knowing that every moment you have to spend together has to be special considering the length of time you spend apart.
The beauty of LDR is that simple things like hugs, holding hands, and kissing will mean so much more after a long period of abstinence.
To spice things up, you can both decide to meet at a neutral city with the time you have to spend together, and have a vacation or as it is now fondly called, “a baecation!”
Engage in similar activities
Regardless of the distance, participating in similar activities and keeping track of each other’s progress will help strengthen the bond between you and create more conversations to anticipate.
Now, the activities you share can be anything; it can be a hobby, a new TV series, or even a new book. Doing any of those at the same time, and discussing about them will also help to reduce the feeling of loneliness and seemingly shorten the emotional distance.
The key here is to choose activities you both enjoy.
Understand your partner’s schedule
Knowing your partner’s work schedule and itinerary can help you reach him without distracting him from work. This way, you don’t become a pest, which is a situation you’d want to avoid. Although goodnight and good morning texts should be the norm despite any schedules.
Take care of yourself 😉
Now, there’s one thing that we haven’t address. As humans, we all have our needs. If you’re in a monogamous LDR, there will be one need that will remains unfulfilled.
Let’s be honest, sex (or lack of) is one of the main downside of LDRs. One of the key success of long distance relationship is to be able to manage this urge. If you let your sexual desire put pressure on your relationship, it will be hard for both of you.
That’s why it’s important to take care of yourself. If possible, initiating yourself to sexting, sexy Skype session or even long-distance sex toys is a way to profit from intimate moment with your significant other. But it’s still advised to take your self game to the next level.
Don’t be shy to invest in your masturbation. That’s literally an investment in your relationship! Women might want to try an high-end vibrator or spend a bit more than usual for a quality dildo. Men, don’t be afraid to try toys too. You can check those Fleshlight reviews and buy a top male masturbator that will help you enjoy yourself.
Manage your expectations
For your mental health’s sake, it’s crucial that you manage your expectations from the beginning, and also adjust the expectations accordingly as the relationship progresses.
To properly do this, you should pay close attention to your partner and sense the unspoken words and get the cues. Essentially, go with your heart, but don’t leave your head behind.
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