How to Make Your Long Distance Relationship Last

Making a relationship last is a challenging mission these days, so you must be sure that the time, effort, and energy will be worth it in the end.

There are so many things that can go wrong in a relationship, and you may wonder how to make your relationship last. Most of the time, it’s all about how you two manage to overcome conflicts and misunderstandings.

We are talking about the magical feeling of love here – your love, their love, and your love together. It all sounds so magical and romantic when you’re thinking about it, but there’s no clear road to make the flame between the two of you last forever.             

Usually, after the first months of the relationship, when you start to know each other better and better, and you start feeling familiar and comfortable with each other, the flame begins to fade away little by little. You need to know that this is normal – it’s all part of the process.

Anyhow, the trick is how you make the flame of love blast over and over again. 

The possibility of making your relationship last

Making your relationship last is, of course not easy, and is a journey. A part of this journey, you take with yourself. One of the critical factors in making a relationship with someone last is to have a fulfilling relationship with yourself. 

Take time to invest in your happiness. Happy people attract other happy people. If you want to attract a worthy lifetime partner, work on your own mental and emotional balance, peace, and joy. If you can be happy with yourself, you are likely to be satisfied in a relationship with someone else.

The possibility of the relationship lasting for a long time increases manifold.

Related Reading: Dos and Don’ts of Having Emotionally Fulfilling Relationships

30 ways to make your relationship last longer

No one likes breaking up with someone they love or someone they thought they would spend their life with. 

Everyone tries to make their relationship last as long as possible. While losing yourself in the process may not be the right thing, here are some relationship tips that will give you an idea of what you can do to make your relationship last.

1. Be communicative

You should share your feelings with your partners without thinking of being judged. Talk about problems that make you feel sad if you are aiming for a long-lasting relationship. Discuss your life, what makes you feel down. 

Support your partner and make them believe in themselves. Healthy communication between partners helps you in your personal and professional growth. Communication is one of the critical factors in the list of what makes a relationship last.

Check out this book by Gary Chapman that talks about love languages, and how they can be used to communicate better with your partner.

Related Reading: 5 Steps to Effective Communication With Your Spouse

2. Give each other space

It is not necessary to share everything with your partner. Apart from your partner, your life should also revolve around other essential factors such as your work, family, and friends.

It would be best if you were not dependent on each other for every single minute of the day. 

Give each other enough space to let them live their life. Enjoy your company, and make yourself happy. Give your suggestions only when your partner asks for your help to foster a long-lasting relationship.

3. Respect each other’s opinions

Disagreements in relationships are common and nothing to worry about. It is important to remember that no one wants to win or lose in the relationship. Both of you need to respect each other’s opinions. 

Arguments, when made healthily, can help give another person a better perspective. Make sure your partner knows you want the best for them and you and that you respect their opinion, even when you may disagree with it.

Related Reading: How to Communicate Respectfully with your Spouse

4. Trust is the key to a healthy relationship

There is no relationship without trust, at least not one that would last. Most relationship “dramas” are caused because of the lack of trust and self-confidence. So, learning to trust your partner is learning how to make a lasting, healthy relationship.

Be honest with your partner to bring transparency to your relationship. Do not hide or lie to them about the crucial things in life and the relationship. Being truthful always and making an effort to let them believe in you are the signs of a lasting relationship.

If you are looking to build more trust in your relationship, check out the book Broken Promises, Mended Hearts: Maintaining Trust in Love Relationships by psychologist Joel D Block.

Related Reading: 8 Key Characteristics to Build Trust in Your Relationship

5. Appreciate the small things

You don’t need to show love to your partner only on special occasions. You should appreciate them on normal days by giving some special gifts, encouraging them when it comes to their work, or just by being available for them when they need you.

Feeling appreciated by the person you love is an essential key for long-lasting relationships. 

Related Reading: 8 Ways to Show Appreciation to the Love of Your Life

6. Spend some quality time together

Do things that make you feel closer to each other. Watch tv shows, movies, go on a road trip, spend some quality time together, and make some memories to cherish for a lifetime. It is essential to take a break from your routine life and make time for each other. 

You may spend the whole day with each other and still do nothing to spend quality time. Do what makes you happy. Don’t always be involved in productive work. Sometimes, you need to do silly and random things to have fun together.

7. The 2-minute rule

A long-distance relationship can easily understand and know the value of the 2- minute rule.

So, as per this two-minute rule, when one person calls, the other person should be attentive and listen carefully. This builds a great relationship. 

Even if you are in the middle of some work, when you convey the feeling of pure love, in a matter of 2 minutes, your partner can feel special and very important in your life.

You should try it once and see how happy that makes your partner. At the same time, it helps you build a long and lasting relationship because your partner knows that even with the distance, they are loved, valued, and thought of.

Related Reading: 10 Tips to Creating Your Perfect Relationship

8. Avoid making assumptions

When partners get to know each other, they tend to assume the reaction of another person. It can make the relationship complicated.

Don’t assume! Instead, ask your partner what they mean by their actions. Stop making assumptions about anything and everything. Be open to discussion on random topics, which will also help you get insights into who your partner is as a person.

9. Take responsibility

A relationship can’t last if one of the partners isn’t mature enough to take responsibility for their actions and outcomes. At one point or another, this issue will consume the other. If both partners take responsibility for every decision they make, then there will be no issue.

Related Reading: Why Is Accepting Responsibilities in a Relationship Important?

10. Meet each other halfway

Love isn’t black and white. Most of the time, love is somewhat gray, only lighter or darker. At one point or another, you’ll find that making simple decisions will get complicated because you’ll want a completely different thing than your partner.

In this situation, you mustn’t fight for your desires. You must meet each other halfway if you want your relationship to work.

It’s ok to want something different, but both of you must understand that your partner is not supposed to share all your passions or tastes in something.

Related Reading: How to Make a Relationship Work

11. Be compassionate

Compassion is the essential element that makes a relationship happy and everlasting. Compassion means to put yourself in your partner’s shoes, to try and find the reason behind his actions. Compassion means genuinely care about your lover.

If you have compassion for your partner, then you’ll have more patience, and you’ll know when and how to give them the space and time they need.

12. Patience

Patience is also essential in any relationship as we all evolve and overcome problems in our ways and rhythm. 

Understanding where your partner is coming from, being supportive of things they do, and standing by them patiently, even when the going gets tough – are some of the ways you can make the relationship long-lasting.

13. Be understanding

To respect your lover, you must first understand the reasons behind their needs, priorities, and so on. But what both of you must realize is that you two are different and that neither of you is perfect.

14. Make each other a priority

Another component that you will want to make sure you include to have a relationship that lasts is reciprocal priorities. This means that both of you make each other a priority. Your partner needs to be first on your list, above the children, above your parents, and above your work obligations.

That doesn’t mean neglecting the other things on your list. It means showing gratitude every day towards this important person in your life.   

15. Learn about your partner’s sexual preferences

Sex and intimacy are critical aspects of a romantic relationship. Many people feel not attracted to their partner anymore because they do not feel sexually pleasured or satisfied. How to make your relationship last? 

Understanding what your partner likes in bed and making sure both of you have a good sex life can be essential in keeping the relationship alive. It, in no way, means that sex is all there is to a relationship, but one should not forget that it is one of the needs of most people.

Related Reading: How to Make Your Partner Sexually Satisfied

16. Don’t play the blame game

It is easy to find someone to blame for everything that goes wrong. More often than not, we blame our partners for most wrong things in the relationship or even otherwise. Playing the blame game does no one any good.

If you wonder how to make your relationship last, remember at the time of arguments that it is not you vs. them, but it is you both vs. the problem. Instead of blaming them, you can try to watch out for your mistakes and try to be a better person for the sake of making the relationship last long.

17. Learn to listen

So many of us listen not to understand but to reply. It is vital that your partner feels heard and understood at all times when they are with you. Try to understand their perspective, and sometimes, just let them talk if you want to make your relationship last. 

Do not provide advice or solutions, but listen. If your partner feels they cannot vent their heart out to you, the chance of a long-term relationship diminishes.

Related Reading: 4 Tips to Be a Better Listener in a Relationship

18. Be willing to forgive

Relationships are not always rosy, and things may go wrong between the two of you. Your partner may not always be the perfect, ideal match you thought they were. However, one virtue that will help you both develop a long-lasting relationship is that of forgiveness. 

Forgive your partner when you see they genuinely care about what they did or said and want to change their actions. Do not hold their mistakes against them, making them feel guilty and unable to rectify them in the future.

19. Keep dating them, even after you got them

Most people say that they split up with their partner because they didn’t feel that spark anymore. Many people say that when they are dating, their partner compliments them and makes them feel valued but stops doing so when they enter a relationship. 

While security in a relationship is excellent, your partner should never feel taken for granted. Please make sure you send them cute messages, compliment them when they look nice and keep the magic alive.

20. Respect their family and friends

Family and friends are an essential part of a person’s life. It is also crucial for most people that their partner respects these people. Even if you do not get along with some people from those groups, make sure you are respectful towards them. 

If you do not wish to attend parties or events with them, make it clear to your partner, and they will understand. However, remaining respectful either way is the key to a long-lasting relationship.

21. Let them be their person

Looking out for the people you love might come naturally to you. However, you need to be sure you are not overstepping your boundaries. It is essential to let your partner be their person, make their own mistakes and decisions, and learn from them on their way. 

As their partner, your role is to support them and help them if and when they fail. Letting your partner be will make you one of those long-lasting couples.

22. Check-in with them

Something as simple as checking in with your partner every day can help you build a long-lasting relationship. When your partner knows they are thought of and loved, that is all they need. Make sure you let them know.

23. Do not hold on to the past

If you want one of the most important long-lasting relationship tips, it is going to be this. Do not hold on to the past – the hurt from it, or even the good times. 

Do not compare your current relationship and situation to something from the past, and do not fear that your current partner will hurt you the way someone else did. Constantly living in such fear can harm your relationship and keep you from building a long-lasting relationship. 

If you are having a hard time letting go of the past, watch this video.

24. Do not have unrealistic expectations

Expectations are the root cause of disappointments. However, when you are in a long-lasting relationship with someone or are trying to build one, you are likely to have expectations from each other. 

Meanwhile, it is essential to identify which expectations are unrealistic, and even more crucial to let them go. Your partner may not bear the weight of these unrealistic expectations and end up giving up on the relationship. 

Keeping realistic expectations is one of the rules to make a relationship last.

Related Reading: Managing Expectations in Your Marriage

25. Pause between arguments

Sometimes arguments between couples can turn sour, so much so that if more words are said, the damages can be irreparable. If you and your partner are fighting about something and the argument starts to take a wrong turn, pause. 

Politely ask them to continue the conversation when both of you have calmed down. This is one of the most crucial long-lasting relationship tips.

Related Reading: How to Stop Constant Fighting in a Relationship

26. Don’t wait for them to read your mind

Communication, as mentioned before, is crucial in building long-lasting relationships. At the same time, you must speak your mind and not wait for your partner to know what you are thinking magically. 

They are also human, and as much as they know you, they may not be able to read your mind. Speaking up about your expectations, thoughts, and feelings is essential in how to build a lasting relationship.

27. Do not bring up separation as an option frequently

If you want long-term relationship tips, one of the most important ones is not talking about a breakup every time something goes wrong. Doing this may give your partner the impression that you want to leave as soon as things get tough.

Do not talk about separation unless it is precisely what is on your mind, and you are sure that is what you want.

28. Remember small details about them

A couple looking for tips for a long-lasting relationship may be a small but very significant idea. Remember small details about your partner, such as their likes and dislikes, things they like to buy, or something they have wanted to do for a long time. Incorporate these details in your plans with them. 

This will make them feel loved by you all the time and help you build a long-lasting relationship.

29. Do not be indifferent to future plans

If you build long-lasting relationships, especially romantically, you cannot be indifferent to future plans that your partner has or is making. You not only need to participate but also make sure you align them with yours.

30. Do not be hesitant to compromise

Relationships are a lot of work, but all that work is worth it if there is love. More often than not, you will find that you and your partner need to make certain compromises to make the relationship work and last long.

If you are hesitant to compromise, long-lasting relationships may not be your cup of tea. 

Conclusion

A happy relationship works when you both agree with these facts about the relationship. If you are worried about how to make your relationship last, make your partner your friend for life, and conquer the world together.

Life is meant to be happy when you both decide to be together. No matter how hard the situation becomes, you need to stick to each other and enjoy the rollercoaster ride.