When my husband William and I decided to start a long-distance relationship a few years ago, we felt both excited and unsure. We asked ourselves many questions, including, “How can we make long-distance work?”
You’re probably asking yourself the same question. You’ve met someone who you’re really attracted to, who you admire, who shares your similar interests and who you’d like to pursue a relationship with. The only problem is distance.
Be sure to read our Ultimate Guide to Long Distance Relationships
Is Long Distance Worth It?
From my personal experience, I can say without a doubt, “Yes, it’s worth it.” Although it’s difficult at times, being long-distance helped us build a strong foundation of communication and trust.
It showed each of us how committed we were and helped us to develop our relationship while getting to know each other better. If you’re seriously interested in getting to know the other person, don’t let the distance keep you apart.
So if you’re already in the thick of things, you might be wondering how you’ll survive the next few months before you can see your boyfriend/girlfriend. Here are a few tips for thriving in your own long-distance relationship:
Pray Together
Pray for each other, especially on the hard days. You can close each of your conversations with a prayer. You can spend the time apart strengthening your relationship with Christ.
Spend time in adoration, read the Bible, and pray the Rosary. Encourage each other to grow in holiness. The best way to love another person is to help them become the best version of themselves through prayer.
Express the Five Love Languages
Gary Chapman’s five love languages give a great framework for expressing your care and appreciation for your partner. I share practical ideas to express the five love languages in my post on How to Express the Five Love Languages in a Long-Distance Relationship. Expressing each of the five love languages during a long-distance relationship will keep your partners “love tank” full.
- Words of Affirmation
- Quality Time
- Receiving Gifts
- Acts of Service
- Physical Touch
Take Time to Plan Your Visits
Don’t let your relationship solely rely on video-chat or phone calls and trips to see each other. Looking forward to seeing each other makes the time apart more bearable. When you’re in-person, you’ll realize how much of a gift it’s to see them and enjoy their company.
You’ll also learn things about them that you cannot learn online. For example, when I was dating my future husband, I didn’t know how he handled stress until our car battery died on the way to the airport. I was impressed by how calmly he handled the situation and how we worked together to solve it. If we hadn’t been in-person, I wouldn’t have known this about him.
Get to Know Other Long-Distance Couples
Your relationship will look very different from the in-person couples you see around you. Find other couples who share the challenge with you and who will understand what you’re going through. It helps seeing how other couples approach different situations to make their relationship work.
Incorporate Your Families
When you video-chat with your partner, also include your families from time to time. Let them get to know the person you’re dating, so when you see each other in person it won’t be as daunting to meet your family.
Your family and friends can be your support system when the other person isn’t there. They will be the ones to remind you what you saw in the other person when things are going rough.
Make sure Long-Distance Isn’t Permanent
To survive, every long-distance relationship must eventually become an in-person relationship. You want to have some hope that you’ll be together at some point, and that hope will help the relationship to keep going even when things are difficult.
If you aren’t willing to move and your partner isn’t either, please consider if this is the right relationship for you.
Be Intentional
Being in a long-distance relationship might mean having a regularly scheduled time to video-chat and having special date nights. When my aunt was in a long distance relationship before video chat existed, they would write letters to each other every day to stay in contact.
If military deployment, work schedules, or other circumstances leave you less in control, just do the best that you can with what you have. Even if you can’t talk every day or write often, you can still make an effort to show your partner you care.
Finding Out What Works for Your Relationship
As you grow in your long-distance relationship, you will figure out the level of communication that works for you. Just like any other relationship, you’ll have to make time for the other person. Hopefully, if things are going well, you’ll really want to.
With the right attitude and tools, a long-distance relationship can be a positive and love-filled experience for the both of you.
