Entering into a long distance relationship may not have been your intention when you fell in love. Many people will fall in love with a person who lives locally, but either you or the other person will move away on a temporary or permanent basis.

In other cases, you may meet your soul mate while traveling, and you want to develop a relationship with this person despite the physical distance between you. The fact is that long distance relationships are hard work, but when the bond between two people is strong and both people are committed to making it work, the relationship can blossom and thrive.

Communicate Regularly
Whether you live close to your significant other or hundreds of miles apart, one of the key ingredients to a healthy relationship is communication. Thanks to technology like texting, video chat, email and more, you have a multitude of ways that you can communicate with your significant other. You may not be able to physically touch your significant other, but you can communicate casually with texting or communicate more in-depth and face-to-face through video communication features like FaceTime, Skype and more. Sending surprise flowers across the miles definitely helps

Visit Often
While you do want to communicate with your special someone regularly when trying to make a long distance relationship work, nothing can replace the physical contact and intimacy that the two of you will share when together. The two of you should make plans to visit each other often and as much as possible. Plan special dates, but leave plenty of time to share quiet, intimate moments when you are together. Before a visit ends, make plans for the next visit. This will give both of you something to look forward to while you are apart.

Be Truthful and Trusting
Jealousy and distrust are problematic for any relationship, and they can become more troublesome for long distance relationships. You can take steps to minimize jealousy and distrust by being truthful and open with your significant other about any other people in your life. Avoid making your partner feel suspicious or jealous on purpose. Likewise, you should also make an effort to trust your partner fully. Both of you will have plenty of time to be alone, and during these times, jealous thoughts can run rampant inside your head. If this type of relationship is going to work, honesty and trust will need to be a part of your relationship.

There are times when the distance between two people is just two great of an issue to overcome, and there are times when the two people involved in a relationship determine that the relationship was not meant to be. While some of these relationships will fail, others will blossom and grow. In fact, many will turn into life-long relationships that evolve into wedded bliss. By following these tips, you can most easily give your relationship what it needs to thrive and grow.