5 WAYS TO SUSTAIN A LONG DISTANCE RELATIONSHIP

Sandra is based in London because she’s running a Master’s degree program while Williams is in Nigeria working with one of the multinationals as a Sales Manager of one of the branches.

They met at a function, started talking, hanging out and eventually they fell in love with each other.

After 3 months of being together, Sandra announced to Williams that she is processing her papers to travel abroad to further her education.

Williams wasn’t happy that his babe was going to be away for a while because he had come to love her very much but at the same time, he was happy that Sandra was doing something meaningful with her life, so he gave his support.

Before she travelled, they had a heart-to-heart discussion about their relationship if they should call it a quit or still continue.

After many deliberations and weighing of options, they agreed to continue with the relationship.

Now, the big question is how are they going to sustain the relationship?

Normally, relationships are stressful and tasking. It tasks your emotion, intellect, energy, finances etc., but when it becomes a long distance relationship, it becomes even more stressful and tasking.

This is one of the reasons why some people don’t bother themselves with long distance relationships. They can’t just deal. I don’t blame them, long distance relationships are not for the faint-hearted. It takes more effort to sustain.

A long distance relationship is a relationship that is geographically separated. That is, the two people involved are not in the same locality. It is a relationship where the people are in two different local governments, states or countries.

Maybe you are in a long distance relationship right now like Sandra and Williams and you’re finding it difficult to sustain the relationship, 

HERE ARE THE 5 WAYS TO SUSTAIN A LONG DISTANCE RELATIONSHIP

1. Make sure you love the person and the person loves you too

Never make the mistake of entering a long distance relationship with someone you don’t love or someone that doesn’t love you back.

Don’t waste your time and energy. Just move on. If you guys don’t feel anything for each other, it won’t work.

Love is critical to the maintenance and sustainability of a relationship. Without love, you will easily get tired and stressed out.

So, make sure you guys love each other, you are on the same page, you want to keep the relationship before you commit otherwise just move on.

2. Be trustworthy and faithful

Go where you say you will go, and do what you say you will do. Let your “yes” be “yes” and your “no” be “no” and if there should be changes, your partner should be aware.

Avoid double dating. That you’re in a relationship with a guy will not stop other guys from toasting you, but it is duty to let them know that you are available.

Without trust, a relationship is as good as nothing. In fact, a relationship cannot survive without trust. And you cannot be trusted when you’re not faithful.

Without trust, you can never be peaceful. Without trust, you will always be worried and suspicious of your partner and relationship can’t survive that way. So, make sure you are trustworthy and faithful.

3. Be transparency and honest

Due to the fact you guys are geographically separated, it becomes important and necessary that you guys are transparent and open to each other.

You shouldn’t keep any secrets from each other. Your partner should be aware of your movements, plans, day to day activities, challenges etc.

When your partner calls and demands to know your whereabouts, it shouldn’t be an issue because you owe him or her accountability.

If a guy chyking and disturbing you as a lady, your guy should know about it and likewise the guy, if a lady is giving you green light. Be transparent and honest with each other. Secrets kill relationship and it makes trusting hard.

4. Communicate Often

Thank God for technology and social media. We can now communicate with anyone in any part of the world, we can see each other and do all other interesting stuff.

So, make communication a top priority. Make it a daily routine. No day should pass without hearing from each other.

• Call each other
• Text each other
• Chat with each other
• Make video calls
• Exchange pictures
• Make a daily routine.
  
  Communication is the blood of a relationship, without communication a relationship will die a natural death. So, communicate as often as possible with your partner.

5. Visit each other

Depending on how buoyant you are financially, once in a while you guys should visit each other. It’s important to keep the relationship alive.

The truth is that you cannot compare seeing and being with someone you love to calling, texting, chatting, making video calls and exchanging pictures. The difference is always clear.

Make it a duty to see each other probably once a month, once every six months or once a year. It’s very important.

This post is not only for those in a long distance relationship, it is also for those in close relationships. With these points, you can sustain your relationship too.

Did you gain something from reading this post? I will love to read from you, share with me what you learned in the comment below.

By Samuel Okolie

HOW TO BE IN A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH PEOPLE