Give one piece of advice for people in an LDR

[Andy]

Ok so this should be your most important piece of advice for someone who's maybe new to long distance relationships. Try and keep your advice different to what everyone else has put then that was this could build up into a nice little guide for any LDR rookies looking for general hints and tips

Just give one piece and keep it nice and shot please!

Feel free to keep coming back though

Mine would be:

Communication - the most important thing in an LDR. Be honest and open about your feelings with your SO, and keep telling them. They can't see you most of the time so they can't use your body language or facial expressions to tell your mood or feelings, so you have to communicate them effectively! Of course the same goes for listening to your SO

[Sinin789]

I would have to say affection is a big key in any relationship. You could be dating someone and say you love them but you have to prove it over and over again =]

[sam]

Be strong

Well, you have to be, really. Times will be hard. Much harder than you probably initially thought. Months apart will suck. Missing them will suck. Leaving them will suck. Not being able to have a hug when you need one will suck. Not being able to speak to them face-to-face will suck.

Ok, I'm making LDR's sound like the most horrible thing in the world now

You have to be strong to cope and deal with all these negatives.

Going from my experience, the short and brief time that we're together does, and will always waaaaaaay outweigh the negatives that you'll experience.

Like Andy said, communication is a good one too. This help with a few of the negatives I mentioned.. Exchange pictures with one another. I find getting pictures from Elina helps me get through it a lot more. I'm always asking her to take pictures for me. Whether it's while she's getting ready in a morning.. on the way to school/work.. on a break at school/work.. on the way back.. anything. Just seeing her and.. seeing her in her everyday life helps me for some reason *shrug*

[LadyMarchHare]

Don't drop the world immediately around you for a world you're not physically in. We all want the most time with our SOs, but it's not fair to yourself or anyone around you if you spend all your time sitting at the computer or checking your phone when they aren't there, nor is it fair for you to lose out on the freedom an LDR still allows you by doing this. Go outside, have fun with friends, read a book, be yourself. You're their significant other, not their pet waiting for them to come home.

Also, don't let jealousy eat at you. They have a right to friends in their sexual attraction range whether it's gender or looks just as much as you do. Their friends also have the right to hang out with them because they are friends and within range, don't be mad you're not. You have their heart, that's more than enough to even out the playing field.

Trust is another big deal. If you can't trust that your guy/gal won't kiss another person or anything else you condone as cheating, don't be with them. You don't need the drama.

[MadMolly]

Relax. Be patient. Be comfortable with your own company. I think LDRs often talk/"see" (webcam dates etc) eachother more than most couples that have always been local (excluding those living in very close proximity/together of course). You don't need to talk to your SO every day just because they live far away - and it's probably healthy to not talk for hours every single day! Let them have a life of their own too. Be prepared to wait. You have to be cool about waiting and being alone.

[squiddie]

Jumping off what MadMolly said:

It's OK if you don't hear from him/her for a few days. You're both living your own lives, there are going to be days when you're so busy you barely eat, let alone have time to check the computer or your phone.

[Sarah M]

Be true to yourself and your partner. If you're not happy - talk about it. It may make you sad, but honesty is best. Sometimes an LDR may not be for you.

[Silviar]

Remember flexibility. In your words, in your way of understanding what they say, and in the times you talk. Let love give you the strength to overcome the urge to find the negative way their words are spun, and instead see them as they're meant - genuine (if perhaps clumsy).

[Caitlin2009]

never log off the internet, hang up, or walk away angry while having an argument, talk about it until you solve it. whatever the argument is just talk it out

[Karringtyn]

Say what you mean and mean what you say. Communication is so very important. Open and Honest.

Take care of YOU. You as an individual. NOONE should complete you...be complete in yourself first...and everything else is a bonus...a beautiful bonus.

Patience. Have Patience.

I will wait for as long as it takes for my love and I to be together..I have already waited 40 years....

[JoMarie]

I agree with the be honest. If you are honest about who you are, what you do, what you expect etc, than your life will be much easier in a LDR. Be who you are, always, and not what someone else wants to turn you into.

[paulawriteslove]

Trust

Trust is a big deal in any kind of relationship, but extremely important in a long distance one. Try to trust your SO and if you have any doubts talk it out

[Caity]

Always focus on the positive things rather than the negatives. Let little things make you happy rather than being down because you're so far away and unable to do as much as you'd like together. If you just think about the negatives all the time you will get down and moody and this will impact on your relationship. A relationship is not meant to make you moody and sad, it should make you happy, so appreciate the happy things and let little things make you smile. =)

[Luisina]

Always focus on the positive things rather than the negatives. Let little things make you happy rather than being down because you're so far away and unable to do as much as you'd like together. If you just think about the negatives all the time you will get down and moody and this will impact on your relationship. A relationship is not meant to make you moody and sad, it should make you happy, so appreciate the happy things and let little things make you smile. =)

This is great advice.. thank you for reminding me!

...Leading to MY advice:
Don't neglect the little things.. Once in a while if you're thinking about your SO let them know! There's nothing better than getting a little, unexpected text during the day saying "I love you" or maybe just a "<3".
That has saved my day many times..

[ChrisIsCallisto]

dont think that its not gunna work because your going through a hard time;
wether theres just 100's of miles between you or 1000's of miles between you, theres gunna be times that are gunna be hard, that are gunna make you miss your so and make you hurt. but this is when yiiu need to be strongest, dont let it get to you, and dont let it spoil your relationship.

and also, dont go to bed angry;
i herd someone say that on here once, i cant quite remember who, but its something that is so true. If you (none of us want to, but it happens once in a while) get into an arguement with your so, dont go to sleep angry at them. speek to them about it before you sleep, before they go. and if you cant, do something to calm you down and keep your mind of the arguement