Wednesday 9 March 2016

Long Distance Detour: Why Love From Afar Could Bring You Closer

So you’ve just met your PERFECT Match (Thank you It’s Just Lunch®!). You two connected from day one, the dates are flowing like Champagne (the real good stuff from France), and you feel like the pace of your relationship is at the perfect speed for your life right now (no nauseating NASCAR thrill rides but definitely not stuck in the slow lane either).

In fact, it is going "pinch me great" until you turn the corner and find an unexpected detour sign that reads a lot like "Promotion: Prepare to Travel More & Longer." Drats.

More time on the road without you, ahead. 
Your wonderful (and successful) someone is going to be traveling a lot more. Cue the gritting of teeth and the Journey songs. But before you throw up your hands and start desperately looking for an off-ramp, here are some real Detour Details.

In the first 3 months of dating. 37% of couples can find themselves in some sort of long distance relationship (versus the disgustingly happy couples that live in the same town).

In the first 6 months, that number can reach 42%.

After 8 months, that number falls to 11%*.

The results of the complete study found that the staying power, of a compatible couple dealing with long distance, was just as strong as those couples who never were apart. So It’s Just Lunch® wants to let you know that long distance detours don’t mean the end of the dating road trip-just a change of scenery.

To keep the spark alive in your long distance relationship, here are a few tips:

Log Some Online Face Time
The benefits of video calling are well-known but setting aside time for a Cyber Date Night takes it above and beyond. Don't treat it like just a call. Take the time to interact with one another. Let there be pauses and the usual winding conversation that goes beyone what you did today and plans for tomorrow. It is the sharing, exploring that will help to cement the bond even from afar.

Emails, Texts
These are little things that can go the distance in telling your loved one that you miss them or are thinking about them.

Join Them For The Weekend
While you may not be able to travel for their entire trip, join them in the city for the weekend. Turn it into a couples retreat rather than just a business trip.

Make the Return Special
Plan something fantastic for the two of you to enjoy upon the other's return. This will give you both something to look forward to and plan. Anticipation ups the excitement ante.

Happy Dating!


*Study conducted by The Center for the Study of Long Distance Relationships