Many people are of the believe that long distance relationships never work out. This therefore leads many people to opt out of relationships in the event of separation rather than deal with long distance relationship.
Long distance relationships are definitely never easy due to the extra distance. Things could get complicated and parties could get lonely which may lead to temptations, but looking at it on the bright side, the extra distance also makes the simplest things the sweetest, as you get to appreciate little things like holding hands, eating together, feeling each others touch amogst others.
Although long distance relationships may be tough, there are ways to handle it and get the best out of your relationship. The ladies of #YourViewTVC discussed this delicate topic with Ebun Fakolade and Adetutu Amodu, who are in a long distance relationships with their husbands, as well as relationship expert, Folashade. They shared their experiences and also gave tips on how to handle long distance relationships. Here are some tips:
Tip 1: Make communication with your partner a priority
Communication is even more important in a long distance relationship, have open and honest conversations with your spouse as this builds trust and keeps the relationship alive.
Ebun when asked what communication is like with her husband said;
I have been married for 6 and a half years but I’ve been in the long distance relationship for almost 2 years. It’s not been easy but I will say one of the things that has helped is the communication. The time difference between us is 7 hours so sometimes I have to stay awake all night just to talk to him but we have found a way to balance things”
Tip 2: Set visit as often as possible
Visits are the highlight of every long distance relationship. After all the waiting and yearning and abstinence, you finally get to meet each other to fulfill all the little things you reminisced about when you were apart. Ebun shares her experience on this by saying;
My husband’s sexual/libido level is like 70% while mine is 85% so i struggle for like six months but I always look forward to the next 3 or 4 weeks I will be spending with him and I make full use of it. The last time I saw him, I told him “get a hotel, I am going to bring down the house” and that’s the excitement because its like you have bottled something in for so long and you are ready to explode”
Tip 3: Learn to manage your emotions
While in a long distance relationship couple are faced with various temptations that can jeopardise the relationship. You have to learn how to have self control and to manage your emotions. Relationship experts, Folashade elaborates more on this by saying;
Loneliness is one of the major emotions couples experience. In long distance relationships, you are open to temptation. The first thing I asked people going into long distance relationships is: ‘ Do you have sexual integrity?’ the truth of the matter is that long distance relationships come with a lot of challenges. There is something called adaptability quotient, it is being able to be flexible, to be able to accept the reality of the change and move on but a lot of people don’t have that skill and this leads the end of the relationship.”
We hope these few tips are helpful, remember to stay positive, trust each other and enjoy your relationship.
