It can be very frustrating to be away from your loved one for a long period of time. Not being next to your partner can be very draining emotionally when you need a hug, kiss, or even a pat on the back and they cannot give it to you. Those little affirmations are important. Trips back and forth can prove very costly and sometimes, traveling is not even an option.

Love happens between two individuals and both need to be involved in keeping a relationship going even when distance separates you. If you are running out of ideas on how to keep your partner enticed, here are five tips on how to keep the love-flame burning.

1. Establish what kind of relationship you are going to have with each other

How much contact do you want to have? What form of communication will you will use? Decide whether you want to commit only to each other and how often you can see each other in a year. Who is going to do the traveling? Are you going to share the traveling costs?

2. Keep in contact

Do not let a day slide by without communicating with each other. There are many ways in which you can do this. Texting is often the most cost effective and convenient way of keeping in touch. You could also email, call, or use Skype to video chat with your loved one.

3. Pursue common interests

In order for a relationship to grow, lovers have to do things together. Even though you are not with your loved one all the time, you can still do things together. Arrange to watch the same program on television and discuss it later. Tell him about a dish that you liked and get him to try it. Read the same book.

4. Talk about the future

Bring up the plans that you have for each other. Where is the relationship headed? Will the separation be temporary? This will help to strengthen the relationship, because you both will know that you are not just wasting time but have one shared and mutual goal of where you want the relationship to go. Dream, just dream, whatever tickles your fancy, and share it with your partner.

5. Give him something to remember you by

Exchange personal objects, something that is linked to you that you think your partner should have. This object could be an album, love letters, a piece of clothing, your favorite perfume. Anything that will remind them of you can work.

What is vitally important in any relationship is to keep in contact and to communicate openly with each other. Without these two things even a local relationship will not survive. So, if you think that you really like your lover, distance shouldn’t separate you. Technology has even advanced to make things easier for you. Don’t give up on love just because your partner lives far away. If both of you are committed and dedicated to each other, it can still work.

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This article was written by: Nobulungisa Mangisa