Going The Distance In An LDR

Credit Where Credit Is Due

People don’t give long distance relationships the credit they deserve.

At best, those who talk about LDRs (Long Distance Relationships) mention them with a back-handed compliment, claiming that while they could never make one work, they’re sure that someone else can.

If you’re in a LDR then you’re no stranger to the mistrust with which others treat it.

At some social event you’ll mention that your significant other lives some 1,000 miles away, and that the two of you are making things work.

The other person will likely regard you with thinly veiled pity and offer a placating phrase, something like, “You are so strong.”

Well, Long Distance Relationships can be hard.

In fact, they can seem like an impossible obstacle to happiness unless both of people in the relationship invest 100% into its long-term success.

Are you dubious about making your LDR work?

Consider these tips meant to bring a couple closer together, regardless of the spatial distance.

Voice Your Feelings

The extreme circumstances of long distance relationships intensify certain stressors found in a typical relationship.

With virtually no face time or physical contact, couples in LDRs will be feeling more on edge about subjects of communication and intimacy.

If these worries go unaddressed, inevitably one person in the relationship will feel that the other hasn’t made enough time for them in their life, blaming the distance for the strain in communication.

That’s why it’s important to voice your feelings in a long distance relationship, even if they’re not particularly sunny ones.

If you tell your significant other that you’re feeling left out of their daily routine, you can work together to make more time for each other.

Don’t be afraid to bring something up just because it’s “bad” or a touchy subject.

Try Communicating Through Mediums Other Than Phone

Some people just aren’t adept at speaking on the phone.

They either become easily distracted after a short period of time or experience trouble expressing themselves to someone they can’t immediately see.

That’s fine for most people, but it can be a serious problem when you’re in a relationship that hinges upon mobile communication.

While I think some phone conversation is inevitable and even healthy for LDRs, there are other options.

Frequent small texts and pictures messages throughout the day will serve as an easy reminder to your significant other that you’re thinking of them.

For lengthy conversations, why not do away with the phone altogether and utilize video chatting programs like Skype so you can actually see your significant other as you talk to them.

Video chat can also come in handy for some creative video romance, if you know what I mean.

Write To Your Significant Other

There’s nothing quite like receiving a long, handwritten letter from someone you love.

If you really want to endear yourself to your significant other, particularly if you’ve recently had an argument, throw them a curveball by writing them a letter.

Remember, a letter is a thing written on actual paper, preferably with a decent felt pen.

Though you might have reservations about your ability to craft an emotive letter, it’s not the content of the letter that matters as much as the thought of writing it.

Any person would cherish a letter—regardless of its quality—in this day and age.

It would be something cherished as much as a piece of jewelry or a lucky charm.

A letter has a real power to its reader; to them it’s like holding a piece of the author which means everything to someone in a long distance relationship.

So make your lovers day and write one!

Speak Your Mind, With Your Opinion

Nice to see you made it to the end of the post. Here’s what you can do next:

• Are you in a LDR?
• What have you found that works?
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