The long distant relationship: can it work?

There isn’t anything worse than being in a relationship with the one you love when he or she lives 10,000 miles away or half way across the continent. The hardships of a long distant relationship, some couples simply can’t take the space while others find ways to work around it.

Long distant relationships can work; it’s all about using your imagination, and following a few important guidelines.

First, establish the relationship rules in the beginning. Not knowing the rules of what is and is not expected of the other person never helps better a relationship. It is important to know if the relationship is considered an open relationship where both are free to casually date other people since their significant other cannot be near them. Setting the ‘do’s’ and ‘don’ts’ is essential.

Second, communicate every single day, whether is be via e-mail, AIM, web cam, text message, mail or phone, communication is all a long distant relationship has to survive. If there is no communication it is very easy to start feeling insecure about the other and that’s when arguments arise.

Next, expressing your feelings is so crucial, how else is the relationship supposed to grow? If one feels lonely and depressed not being able to be with the other everyday then that needs to be discussed. Talk about it; make sure to hold nothing back. Express those feelings until your blue in the face!

Show him or her what the other means to you, send care packages to show how much the relationship means to you. CD’s with notes attached, maybe make a picture frame with the picture of you two inside, or if you are really talented, knit a blanket and spray it with your favorite perfume or cologne. May sound cheesy, but it’s the little things that can make or break a long distant relationship.

Getting creative and thinking of unique things to do really is the key to making a long distant relationship last. A few articles on the Internet suggest watching your favorite television show or your favorite movie together.

Some couples may not realize this, but another very important aspect of a long distant relationship is going to visit one another. Visits are absolutely necessary in keeping the relationship alive, as humans, physical contact is crucial. Making sacrifices to show one another that they are in this for the long run and even thought they lives thousands of miles away they can make it work.

Another important thing to remember is that anything is possible, so if you really want to stay together and make it work it will. Long distant relationships are the hardest to survive but if a couple can make it work, then that says a lot about their relationship in the future, it means they can withstand anything.
While some couples may seem long distant relationships are impossible, like me, they really aren’t, commitment and true dedication is the key. If two people really have the desire to make it work, it will, just have to have faith.