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Relationships have the potential to be hard when both parties live in the same city, even the same house. The risk of hardship increases greatly when there is distance. This distance could be living cities apart or states apart. Many couples find themselves in this situation and without choice they make the best of it. Nevertheless, the distance is hard and can be emotionally draining. The thought of only seeing the one you love on the weekends or for only a couple of hours a week is very difficult. After a few short months the gap becomes too much for some to handle and they bail. Long distance relationships require a lot of strength and endurance. While the feeling is not always pleasant, there are ways to create a positive outcome.
One thing to remember in carrying out a long distance relationship is not to dwell on the bad. It is good to express the way you feel, but do not make a habit of throwing yourself a pity party every other day. This will only make you feel worse and send you into a mild depression. Continue going about your daily routine and stay busy. When you stay busy your days go fast and you do not have time to mope. Focus on the positive aspects of the relationship and be confident that the relationship will survive.
Communication is vital in keeping the gap close. Let the other know how you are feeling. This could be done by phone or through mail. Keep a journal or diary and then once a week read some of the entries. This will keep your significant other informed on what is going on. The worst thing that a couple can do is not communicate with each other. This is almost a sure guarantee that the relationship will end.
There must be trust and honesty between the couples. When one is out of sight it is only natural to wonder, 'what the other is doing, and 'whom are they doing it with'. Without trust and honesty the relationship will go from, 'not always pleasant' to 'bad'. Paranoia will send you questioning their every move and second guessing what they tell you. This is one thing that should be avoided. Anyone comtemplating a long distance relationship should be committed to each other(unless the two have agreed to other arrangments). Whatever decision is made on how the relationship will be carried out, it needs to be a mutual decision.
Long distance relationships do provide a balance of independence and dependence. While you may see yourself as 'attached', distance allows room to grow and not lose your own identity. Many have discovered that once a relationship becomes stronger they begin to neglect their own interests, whether it is work, family, or school. This relationship is not as hard as many make it. It takes strength, perseverance, and a will to make it work. If couples are committed to each other and are willing to take the good with the bad, the end result will greatly outweigh past difficulties.
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