Think aloud
It’s not easy to be in a relationship with someone who is miles apart from you. You immediately know that you’ll have to adjust to the distance and make things work even though you can’t even see each other. But what are the 3 harsh facts about long-distance relationships? And what can you do to overcome the troubles?
Falling in love with a person who feels the same way about you is the greatest feeling in the world. That is, until you realize that you don’t live in the same state, potentially not even in the same time zone.
When you choose to make this type of relationship work, you immediately know that you’ll face some challenges that “regular” couples don’t face. You’re aware that you’ll have to work harder if you want your relationship to succeed.
But it’s all sunshine and rainbows until you come across the first obstacle. That’s when things can get shaken up and you may start to question your commitment to someone who’s a plane ride away.
Let’s talk about some of the most challenging aspects of love from a distance and see what you can do to make those troublesome moments more bearable.
3 harsh facts about long-distance relationships
You probably already know that long-distance relationships come with many challenges. They definitely require more effort since they not only deal with regular issues that come up within every relationship but there’s also the issue of an added distance.
But what are some major difficulties that you and your partner will try to overcome while being miles apart? Here are 3 harsh facts about long-distance relationships that every “remote” couple will relate to.
1. You’ll feel lonely quite often even though you’re in a relationship
You don’t fully understand the importance of having your partner close by until you begin a long-distance relationship. You no longer have the privilege to spend a day with your SO, go on dates, or simply have chill nights at home enjoying each other’s company.
In a long-distance relationship, everything happens online, and sometimes you get the idea that you’re missing out on something. This feeling of loneliness keeps haunting you, no matter how hard you try to resist it.
But as you see those happy couples holding hands, you start to feel a bit jealous. You don’t want to be a Negative Nancy, but from time to time, you feel like everyone else has it easier than you. While other couples are enjoying their time together, you’re struggling to keep things afloat.
You feel so lonely because your other half is hours and hours away, which makes it hard to share everyday life with each other. Sometimes, you get this terrible feeling that you’re not even in a relationship and you hate yourself for feeling that way.
But you need to be aware that this is normal in long-distance relationships. The fact that you’re physically separated makes it hard to enjoy all the little things that regular couples get to do. And the worst part is that you start to feel like they don’t even realize how lucky they are.
2. It won’t be easy to keep the communication going
Communication is the key in every relationship but what do you do when the distance prevents you from talking to your partner in person? You turn to the technology for help. However, guess what? That’s not the most ideal way to communicate with your SO.
There’s a chance that you live in different time zones which makes the whole process a lot more complicated. You can’t just call your partner whenever you want to share something with him. You can’t text him and expect to get a reply in a matter of minutes.
So, most of the time you feel like you’re waiting for something. Waiting for him to wake up so you can call him. Waiting for hours for him to reply to your text because he’s still asleep. I understand it’s challenging.
However, what makes it even worse is that by the time he responds, you’ll likely have moved on with your day and lost the initial excitement about the moment you wanted to share. It’s such a bummer but it’s also a reality for many long-distance couples.
You feel like all you do is wait for each other to come online. And that’s really not how you envisioned your relationship.
3. You’ll have to learn how to trust each other completely
Of course, trust is an important part of every relationship. However, trust becomes even more crucial in a long-distance relationship. When you’re miles away from each other and can’t see each other for months, you have to rely on trust and the idea that your partner is going to stay loyal to you.
With all the challenges, some couples simply don’t succeed at this. They become jealous, they develop trust issues and some of them even end up cheating on each other because of all of the temptations.
It’s a harsh truth but unfortunately, it’s a reality for many long-distance couples. That’s why it’s so important to have trust as one of the main foundations of your relationship. Without it, you’re destined for failure.
What can you do to make your long-distance relationship run more smoothly?
Now that you’re aware of some of the most serious challenges of long-distance relationships, it’s important to know what you can do to make everything run more smoothly. You can’t expect your partner to do all the work and vice versa.
You have to fight for your love together and never let the distance come in between you. And this is how you can do that.
1. Find a schedule that works for both you and your partner
So, communication won’t be the easiest but it doesn’t mean that you can’t make it work. It’s important to find a schedule that works for both of you and stick to it.
Of course, there will be some days when you’ll have to adjust your calls because of some unplanned duties but as long as you don’t go days or weeks without hearing each other’s voice, you should be good.
Even though you’re away from each other, you should still make sure to prioritize those moments when you give each other a call. Because those are the little things that will keep you moving toward your final goal.
2. Use every moment you spend together in the best way possible
The chances are that you won’t be seeing each other a lot during the year. Some couples could only have the opportunity to meet in person once a year while others could be blessed with three or four meets.
Planning trips and paying for the tickets requires time and money and sometimes, you have to accept that you won’t be able to meet as much as you would want to. That’s why it’s so important to spend those days together doing something fun. You need to create memories that will make your relationship stronger and more resistant to obstacles.
Keep in mind that quality is much more important than quantity. Maybe you’ll get a chance to spend only two days together but as long as you make those days count, you’ll do a huge favor to your relationship.
3. Always talk with your partner about your feelings
Choosing to hide your feelings leads to resentment in any relationship. But when you add to the fact that you’re already so far away from each other, things can get even more complicated.
That’s why it’s so important to talk about your feelings with your partner. No matter how insignificant they feel, you have to share what’s bothering you with your SO. That’s the only way to keep your relationship working.
Don’t let those bottled-up emotions turn into anger and resentment and instead, deal with them in time. You don’t want your relationship to fall apart because you assumed that your partner would know what was going through your head. Say it out loud and see where it will take you!
4. Cherish the little things and work towards your final goal
Long-distance relationships are all about the little things. Those random good morning messages and online date nights planned in detail are moments that will help your relationship thrive.
Don’t ever become blind to your partner’s efforts to keep your relationship interesting. It’s pretty easy to fall into a routine and take your relationship for granted. To prevent that from happening, you have to cherish all those cute moments and together as a couple, work towards your final goal which is a life where you’ll get to wake up next to each other.