Making a Long Distance Relationship Work

Making any relationship work is a challenge but making a long distance relationship work can be especially difficult.

Once the domain of traveling salesmen and military personnel, the advent of the internet has made the world a much smaller place, and relationships have now become global institutions. But while connecting via the World Wide Web and mobile phones has made it easier to communicate over vast distances, it can’t easily replace the physical connection that is lost when you are unable to see each other on a regular basis.

That said, it’s not impossible to have a hot date when you’re thousands of miles apart and, if you’re both prepared to work at it, the intimacy that you generally get from being close to one another can be replicated from different states or even different continents.

Real intimacy is not just gained physically but by being connected on a much deeper level. Just the sure knowledge that your loved one is thinking about you can trigger the same sense of contentment that being in the same room can (ok, so maybe it’s not quite the same as having a long passionate kiss in the same room, but it’s up there!)

So can you just assume that your significant other is thinking about you? Of course not, and what about your partner, can they make the same assumption? Er no! There is a well known saying that assumption is the mother of all mess ups, (well that’s not exactly the word used in the phrase but it means the same) and believe me, when it comes to making a long distance relationship work, it really is very true.

So how can you show your lover that you’re thinking about them, even if you’re in different countries? It doesn’t have to take a huge chunk out of your day; nobody is asking you to compose a poem extolling the virtues of your loved ones eyes or other body parts! It’s about sharing the little things that happen each and every day. Maybe you’re having a chicken sandwich for lunch and you know how much he/she loves chicken – you could send a quick text (or even a photo if they REALLY like chicken!). Something along the lines of “Know how much you love chicken; wish you were here to share my sandwich”. Now maybe you think that’s lame, but that’s exactly the kind of thing that will send a warm glow down your significant other’s spine. Or, if you really want to hot up the romance, you could change the chicken to pepperoni!

Seriously, making a long distance relationship work is down to connection. You don’t have to be in the same room to feel that special intimacy and you really can share your lives, even if you’re not living them together; you just have to want to.