By Jeff Cohen, freelance writer (cohenwriting@aol.com)
Thanks to online dating, the odds are higher than ever before you’ll end up in a long distance relationship. With the click of a button you can meet someone across town, across the country, or around the world.
While the ability to expand your dating reach is a great benefit of online dating, you also need to know the rules to make a long distance relationship last. Here are three things you can do if you’re in a long distance relationship to give you and your partner the best possible odds at making it last.
1) Set some ground rules
When you’re seeing your partner regularly, it’s easy to stay in touch and know what’s going on in each other’s lives. It can get tricky when your miles apart. You can feel disconnected and that can unfortunately lead to feelings of jealousy or resentment.
The key is to get on the same page from the beginning. How often will you talk on the phone? How frequently will you visit each other? Will you make an effort to be together on certain holidays? You get the idea. There are enough challenges trying to make it work from far apart. By agreeing up front to some of the basics, you’ll avoid any extra fighting during the limited time you have together.
2) Communicate creatively
Since you’re not seeing each other as often as you’d like, make an effort to find creative ways to communicate. Phone calls and emails are a great start, but there’s more you can do to stay connected. For example, you could record a nice message on a tape and send it to your loved one. The tape can go back and forth and pretty soon you’ll have a tape full of memories.
Want to be even more creative? If you have the funds, you could each buy a webcam and hook it up to your computers. This way you can actually see each other before you go to bed. It’s the next best thing to actually being together at night.
3) Talk about the future
If it’s a casual relationship then you may get by without having “the talk” about where the relationship is headed. If however, you both want to see the relationship progress, then at some point one of you will likely have to relocate. You’ll want to talk about this issue over time. It doesn’t have to be the only thing you talk about every time you’re together. After all, you do want to enjoy each other’s company. However, if you’re not working toward one of you relocating or both of you moving to a new city together, then the relationship is ultimately doomed. If that’s the case, then what are you in the relationship for in the first place?
Ultimately, long distance relationship success comes down to trust and patience. Since you can’t see each other all the time, you’ll need to believe you’re both keeping your word about where the relationship stands.
Still, by setting some ground rules, communicating creatively, and working toward a future together, you’ll be well on your way to making it work.
Jeff Cohen is the author of the e-book, 30 Minute Guide to Online Dating. It's a must-read for anyone looking to master the art of online dating without wasting hours of valuable time. To learn more about the e-book and purchase a copy, please visit Online Dating eBook.
