How many of you have ventured off on your travels happily single, only to unexpectedly find yourself entangled by love? And what with all those romantic sunsets, party fuelled nights and wearing nothing more than swimwear 90% of the time, it’s fair to say travelling can be one hell of an aphrodisiac.
Care free time spent together doing all the fun things in life often means feelings materialise quickly, with those three little words often uttered within a matter of weeks of meeting. The down side? It’s most likely you’re from different parts of the world, with separate life plans. And thus the fun of long distance relationship begins.
So where do you go from here? How do you begin a long distance relationship and more importantly, how do you sustain it? Is it even really worth it? So many questions.
It sure is a confusing one, but thanks to the evolution of technology and the speed of social media, long distance relationships really can work…if you’re willing to put the effort in.
DO: ORGANISE THINGS TO DO TOGETHER
Even if you’re not physically together, you can still do things together. This could be anything from watching the newest Netflix series in sync, to taking up a new hobby, or going on FaceTime coffee dates (trust me, funner than they sound). In all cases, organising things to do together like any normal couple would gives you common ground, makes things a little more fun and helps to gauge how compatible you are in the long run.
DON’T: OVERTHINK IT
It’s easy to let your mind start ticking away and over complicating a situation which is already complicated enough. I’m a key offender of this one. Instead step back, take a breath and chill. In the early stages, like any relationship there’s no need to overthink things. If it flows then roll with it, if it’s proving too difficult early on, it’s probably not worth the hassle.
DO: BE REALISTIC
We’ve all heard the lovey-dovey travel stories. Met on a moon-lit beach, love at first sight, never looked back. It’s easy to get caught up in the fairy tales, but be realistic. More often than not this is a picture painted for the world to see. In reality long distance relationships can be incredibly testing and take a really strong bond to work. Be realistic about your own expectations of what you want from this, how you can achieve it and if you are BOTH willing to make this happen. Just remember nothing is permanent, so if it feels right don’t be afraid to go with it.
DON’T: AVOID TALKING ABOUT DIFFICULT THINGS
Honesty in this case is for sure the best policy. When it comes to long distance relationships, being open and communicating with one another about how you’re feeling is absolutely imperative. It will either make you or break you, but in both cases it’s for the best. Ensuring you’re both on the same page will help you to either progress in the right direction and feel a little more relaxed about things, or else clarify that you’re after different things. And if this is the case, why waste time and feelings over something which isn’t meant to be?
DON’T: PUT TOO MUCH PRESSURE ON IT
So you’ve committed a heap of time and feelings to one another. Hours upon hours on FaceTime, millions of messages, holidays used up seeing one another, and all your savings gone. You’re finally in the same place at the same time. So now it’s got to work. Show time. Annnnnd action. But come on guys, we don’t live in movie world. If it works then that’s great, but this is real life. Don’t feel any added pressure just become of the circumstances. Try not to have too many false hopes and preconceived ideas of how things should be, when in fact reality is proving to be the opposite.
DO: BELIEVE IN FATE
Long distance relationships can be even more demanding and require even more effort than a normal relationship. At times this can be draining, with no real one on one time with your S.O. to pick you back up. But always remember this: somehow, the universe conspired to ensure that your paths crossed on that day, in that place, at that time, and despite the odds, here you are. Still in love, still talking about everything and nothing on the daily, still getting those butterflies when you see his/her name calling your phone. Maybe you don’t believe in fate, but surely you believe in love? Because that’s what you’ve got, so hold onto it – tightly.
