Surviving a Long-distance Relationship: Tips from Someone Who's Been There

Long-distance relationships can be hard. Trust me, I know. When my husband and I were first dating, our entire pre-marriage relationship was conducted from a distance of one to two hours. We saw each other once every week or two, for a day or two at a time. And it was incredibly straining, and we almost broke up due to some mistakes we both made. But we survived three years of it, and ended up having a happy marriage. If you are in a long-distance relationship and really want to make it last, follow these tips from someone who's been there.

Don't let jealousy get the better of you

One of the biggest problems in a long-distance relationship is jealousy. You're not there with him, so when he starts talking about his friendship with a woman at work, your imagination goes into overdrive. He speaks so highly of her, so they must be having an affair. After all, who would stick around for a long-distance relationship when he has a woman right there every day, right? Wrong. Chances are, they really are just friends. Don't allow your imagination to run away with you. Extreme jealousy and possessiveness are the quickest ways to turn a relationship sour, so don't let your paranoia and insecurity get the best of you. And if you do start having these feelings of jealousy, talk about them with your significant other. Express your concerns. You may be right, and maybe that woman has ulterior motives that your man just isn't seeing. Or you may be wrong, and seeing things that aren't there. Either way, get those feelings out in the open and talk about them. Which brings me to my next point:

Be honest about your feelings