When entering into a long distance relationship, it is important to communicate your expectations and needs to one another. This will ensure that you are both on the same page and will help you avoid miscommunication about what your relationship will look like during long distance. It will also help you and your partner create an open line of communication to discuss what is working or what may need to change throughout your time as a long distance couple. Some questions you may ask yourselves may be:
- How often will you communicate and what does that communication look like?
- How often will you call/video chat?
- When will you visit one another?
- How long do you expect long distance to last?
- What are your expectations for your relationship after long distance?
- How will we handle arguments or other challenges during long distance?
Once you have communicated your expectations and needs to one another, set ground rules to help you manage these expectations and needs and maintain a healthy relationship. This may look like planning visits that you both can look forward to or setting aside certain times of the day where you call one another. It is also important to remember that your expectations and needs may change over time, so it is important to be flexible and communicate regularly about what is/isn’t working.
Check out our video about managing expectations during long distance relationships!