It's no secret that long-distance relationships can be tough, but they can also be extremely gratifying. There are the ups, including the first time seeing your significant other after a few months, and the downs, including working through things like trust and doubt.
Not every couple can handle the emotional trials and tribulations of a long-distance relationship. These are some signs that you and your partner just might not be ready to go the distance, at least for now.
You don't trust each other.
Trust is key to making long distance work. There will be so many times that you won't be able to see your partner, hear their voice, or hang out whenever you want. If that leaves you wondering whether or not your partner is being faithful or having doubts, that might actually be a very serious implication about the state of your relationship.
According to a study from Northwestern University and Redeemer University College in Ontario, Canada, those who trust their partners are more likely to be in long-term, successful relationships. No matter where they are, you should trust your significant other in order for you to be together. Long-distance has a habit of testing trust, but doubt or fear in relationships can come from a multitude of sources.
It's important to ask why you're having doubts or where your trust issues come from. It might be good to communicate your feelings with your partner, hear their perspective, and hopefully come up with ways to honor, soothe, or help quell your feelings.
You haven't communicated about the future.
You're going to need a plan for the future, both long-term and short-term. Will you visit every month? Will you move in together after a year?
There should be an end game or overarching goal for your relationship. Making these plans, big or small, can be really fun and also shows that both parties are making efforts to keep things moving forward and maintain one another as a priority.
If you or your partner can't face the future or decide what you're looking for, that might not be a good sign of things to come. Healthy communication is essential to making long-distance relationships work, so make sure that you're at least attempting to form some sort of plan.
You can't come to an agreement or compromise when it comes to your plans.
So, you're basically living in a tale of two cities. Maybe one of you is absolutely in love with your current city or the place you met and from which your partner moved while the other half of your relationship has totally fallen for their new city and hopes you'll head there.
No matter your exact situation, it's important that you come to some sort of agreement or compromise about where you'll head together unless you want to do long-distance forever.
The decision of where to live can be a deal-breaker in relationships, especially if one party feels extremely attached to a particular place.
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