Dating & Relationships

3 Tips for Surviving Long-Distance Relationships

posted on June 14, 2019 | by Hannah DiBella

My boyfriend and I are finishing up our first year of being on separate coasts from each other, and I’ll be honest…it sucks, it really REALLY sucks. I find myself questioning more often than not; Is it worth it? Is there even a point anymore? Am I still happy? It even gets to a point where it’s hard to see the positives. But at the end of the day, I always want to stay with him, no matter what.

What I’ve found is that it’s all about seeing the good, getting into a routine, and changing your mindset. If you’re also in a long-distance relationship, here are my tips for surviving!

Distract yourself

You will have your highs and you will have your lows. Getting sad is inevitable in this type of situation, and of course, you are going to shed some tears. But if you have some free time or feel the sadness creeping in, go do something to distract yourself! Go for a run, go to your favorite coffee shop, reach out to some friends. Do anything that will take your mind off of things, and most importantly, make sure YOU are having fun.

Letting the sadness take control is one of the worst things you can let happen, so go out, get yourself happy, and kick that sad b*tch to the curb!

Have something to look forward to

This—no doubt—has been the most effective trick for my relationship. Having things to look forward to is a way to get yourself out of a low point.

Whether it be something small like planning a Facetime call to end both of your days or something a bit more extravagant like booking a trip to go see eachother, anything to get you both excited helps. It will give you that motivation to get through the day without hitting a sad hump.

Nothing gives me the butterflies more than being able to hear his voice after a long day or being able to set up a little countdown for the next time I get to hear it in person. And let me tell you – that first hug you get after not seeing them for awhile wins. It 100% takes the cake. You’ve got to plan for those hugs, ladies!

Take time to focus on yourself

Something that was not clear to me before I embarked on the long distance journey was how little I was focusing on myself. When you are able to see your person more often than not, it is so easy to get caught up in the relationship and forget to take time for yourself. I know it’s hard to start getting comfortable with doing things by yourself, trust me, I get it, and was at that point for awhile. But taking your “loneliness” and turning it into something positive is the best way to snap out of it. Go to the gym and get that booty you’ve been dreaming of or start a new hobby. Make time for you! Do things that make you and only you happy!

When I had any bit of free time while my man was home, the only thing I wanted to do was be with him. And that is completely normal and natural! But when that is no longer and option, start getting comfortable with doing things by yourself. Go sit on the beach alone and get a nice tan going, go eat at your favorite restaurant alone (don’t worry, people aren’t judging you), go on a bike ride alone somewhere picturesque! This is YOUR time girl, soak it up!

Moral of this drawn out story is; YES long distance is hard, but there are many ways to keep yourself going. At the beginning it might seem like it is the worst thing that could have happened, but with a quick mindset change it can turn into something positive. When it starts getting hard just keep in mind how amazing it will be when you two can see each other again and how much stronger you will be at the end of it.

For all my current long distance ladies – what are the different ways you cope? What is the one thing that truly takes your mind away from the sad thoughts? I’d love to hear your tips and tricks!