How to Nurture a Long-Distance Relationship
- Written by Diana Smith
Being in a long-distance relationship can often be incredibly tough and demanding, leaving you to feel lonely, sad, and at times even hopeless, regardless of the fact that you actually have a significant other. But with all their downsides, long-distance relationships can also create healthy and loving bonds that only grow stronger over time, as long as we make an active effort to work on them. To that end, here are some efficient ways you could nurture and maintain your long-distance relationship:
Commit yourself to the relationship
Although commitment and devotion are essential aspects of any relationship, they become particularly important when it comes to maintaining a long-distance one. As there is simply no way for you and your partner to physically be together every day, you will need to put some extra work into the relationship, whether that means organizing your schedules optimally or prioritizing frequent communication. Otherwise, you might risk the chances of slowly drifting apart.
Thankfully, staying in touch with your partner has never been easier than now, when we have 24-hour access to useful technology. So, send them a loving text message throughout the day, and make it a point to focus on frequent phone calls and video chats, in order to get a bit of ‘face-to-face’ communication as much as possible.
Work on long-distance intimacy
Intimacy is another aspect that’s necessary to foster in all relationships, as it allows us to form a deeper emotional connection with our partners. However, it can be especially tricky to nurture when there’s no physical contact between you and your loved one. Fortunately, this is another area where technology might help.
For instance, you can decide to send racy texts, or even sexy pictures to your partner, in an effort to build anticipation until you meet. If you’re more confident and sexually liberated, however, another good idea would be to practice phone or video sex with your partner. Combine that with exciting sex toys for men and women, and you will be able to experience new forms of pleasure, even when apart.
Have something to look forward to
Another way you could work on a long-distance relationship is by making plans for the future with your loved one. For example, you can schedule weekly video calls which you could turn into date nights by watching movies together, or you might want to set a date for your next in-person meeting and plan all the fun things you can do once you’re together. What’s more, you could also create a bucket list of all the things you want to achieve and experience with each other.
Regardless of what you plan, having a concrete thing to look forward to will allow you to feel more excited about the next time you see your partner, thus helping to foster a sense of passion and enthusiasm for your relationship.
Invest in the smaller experiences
At the end of the day, it’s the smaller acts of kindness and affection that matter most, as they show our partners just how much we love and appreciate them. So, make it a point to foster romance even when you’re apart, for a more positive and pleasant long-distance experience.
Go old-school and send your partner a loving hand-written letter, surprise them with a delivery of flowers or their favorite snacks when they’ve had a long day, or send them a small present ‘just because’. No matter how big or small, these kind acts will surely show your loved one that they’re on your mind, and that you care deeply about them even when you’re not together.
While long-distance relationships can often be difficult and challenging to maintain, they can still turn out to be a wonderful experience worth fighting for, as long as you put a bit of thought and effort into nurturing them.