How to Survive a Long Distance Relationship

Let’s begin with a virtual hug because it can be freaking hard to be in a long distance relationship! Whether you are dating, engaged, or even married, fostering a relationship that is separated by many miles can be difficult to say the least. After having a two year dating relationship that was long distance, I now have to deal with my husband being gone the majority of the week EVERY SINGLE WEEK. So I feel like I have learned a few things about making a relationship work even though you are far apart!

God has a sense of humor. I can tell you that much. I remember as kid I would constantly tell myself that I would never marry a man that traveled for a living. I had grown up with a father who was always on the road due to his career in the entertainment industry. And although I understood he had to be gone to support our family, I also knew I wanted my husband to be around for me in the future.

Fast forward many years later, I ended up meeting my husband one crazy weekend while I was attending college in Ohio. Maybe one day you will get the full story 😉 I ended up starting a long distance relationship with him right off the bat and that meant traveling to New York to see my new boyfriend every couple of weeks. We took turns of course but 16 hours of driving in one weekend while you are still trying to finish your college degree is not easy!

Now we are happily married, but we still have to make the sacrifice of being away from each other on a weekly basis due to his job. I feel like I have finally gotten to the point where I have fully accepted our fate and have learned how to both cherish our relationship and become an individual. After a super long and rambling intro, let’s get to the point!

1. Accept Your Fate

You will waste so much time, energy, and emotion by wishing or wanting your life to be different. Stop comparing your relationship to others or thinking how the grass would be so much greener if you just could be together! For whatever reason it is in God’s plan that you are to be separated at this time in your life. So accept it. The sooner you do this, the happier you will become.

2. Get a Few New Hobbies

Being distracted really helps! When your partner is gone, you have to learn to find happiness in other areas of your life. Pursue something you have always wanted to do but never had the courage to do it! Join a fitness class and make new friends. I really began to take blogging more seriously once my husband got his new job. Just find something new that will make you feel happy when they are gone.

3. Plan Your Time Together

When your time is so limited with each other, it can be easy to just want to “Netflix and Chill.” But when you take the time to plan something special while you are together it gives you both something exciting to look forward to. When you make plans that are a little outside of the box, you also will help your relationship to grow to a new level.

4. Say No to Work Talk

It can be really tempting to want to call your loved one and complain about daily work annoyance. Even when you finally get time together, you tend to talk about all the events that happened over the work week or even school week. And although at times it is needed to spend some time venting, you should not make it the majority of your conversation. Expand your conversation to the future, dreams, aspirations, etc.

5. Give Them Space

This has to be one of the most important but difficult tips. When your time is to limited, you just want to spend every waking moment with them when you finally get the chance. My biggest weakness while we were dating was not giving him enough space to enjoy the little things he wanted to do. Don’t forget to give them that alone time so that they can find happiness doing the things that they love doing.

Please leave any tips or suggestions you have for surviving a long distance relationship! We can learn from each other!

*These photos were taken in Sedona, Arizona this past weekend.