If I had to describe a long distance relationship in one word it would be…..choice. It is a hard choice. It is a lonely choice. And if your love language is physical touch, it’s a frustrating choice.  But if the person is worth it, then its the best choice you can make!

I’ve been in a long distance relationship since October. And when I say long distance, I mean long distance…..15 hours of distance in fact. I’m not talking, “I only get to see my boyfriend on the weekends” I’m talking “I only see my boyfriend for three days every 6 weeks.” As with any relationship there are ups and downs. There are good days and really bad days. The only thing that may be different from a relationship that is just across the street is the physical aspect.

You don’t hold hands, you hold your cell phone.

You don’t kiss goodnight, you fall asleep on your phone or wave bye on skype.

You can’t leave surprises at their house or their office…only in their mailbox.

You pay unrealistic amounts of money to see each other for just two days.

You surround yourself with pictures of them just to feel close.

And you settle.

You settle for a smiley face on a text message when what you really need is a hug.

You settle for a phone up against your ear when what you really want to do is cuddle.

Long distance is….well….inconvenient.

Love on the other hand…..love is worth it.

#longdistance #love #relationships

We all like getting compliments so give out some today. A few kind words can go a far way. I think we underestimate the power of kind words. Not only are you giving someone else a self esteem boost, but giving can make YOU feel better!

Food for your relationships

Sometimes in relationships we can become complacent and comfortable that we forget to give compliments! This goes for all relationships. Your brother needs compliments just as much as your boyfriend and so does your mother and father and best friend and coworker. Don’t ever assume they don’t need your compliments any more.

For example, I feel like I have said “you look pretty today” to my sister a billion times. She always looks pretty so I think sheesh she knows by now that I think she is pretty. But that’s not the point! Just because I have been giving her compliments for 20 years does not mean I should stop now. She needs my kind words now more than ever!

Often in relationships, you find yourself praising your partner for every little thing. “You are so cute. Oh hunny, you sing so well. You are such a hard worker. I am so proud of you. You are great at doing the dishes. I love the way you open my door.” And the list goes on… But as the relationship goes on, the kind words slow down to a trickle. We get stuck in a kind-word-rut. So if you find yourself in a relationship that is shy of the lovey dovey feeling, then speak a kind word or two. If that seems like too much for you shy folks like myself, then write some kind words! Surprise your loved one with a hidden note…maybe in his shoe??

Perfect the art of compliment

Ok so now that I have reminded you of a simple joy, go and take delight! Speak kind words today. Let love grow.

Be Sincere.

Be specific.

Smile at strangers.

“Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.”- Mother Teresa

#giving #smile #kindwords #compliments #relationships

Anticipation

They were hoping to fall in love...

“Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”- God

After hours of searching for inspiration, I finally managed a decent post but all it said to me was “blah blah blah something about finding happiness.” I wanted to write something raw, something real. So in a completely frustrated state I took a break from blogging and called the boyfriend. (It’s nice to have someone who can help sort out your thoughts.)

After deep conversation, I was inspired.

Sometimes we just need to be reminded of 2 virtues- Faith & Patience.

What is Faith?

The unconditional belief in something. Whether it is faith in God or faith in people, you’ve got to hold on to it. Faith is easy to lose. It slowly fades away from you until one day you wake up and realize it’s gone.  And without faith you can feel lost in the world. There are so many things to sway you from your beliefs and if your faith is not strong enough you will crumble. Be brave, there will be doubts and fears. Believe in your dreams. Believe in your God. Believe in your sister. Believe in your boyfriend. Believe in yourself. And your world will be a happier place.

What is Patience?

I like to define it as the art of hoping. Everyone has hopes and dreams and we want them right now. But sometimes, we just can’t have them right now. Therefore, patience is required. I remember how much I prayed for patience when I first met Stacey. I liked him so much and just wanted us to already be boyfriend and girlfriend. I wanted to fast forward and know everything about him. But mostly I wanted to know if our relationship would last. And then one day, it hit me. Enjoy the anticipation, I thought, have patience. Take pleasure in the butterflies and the mystery. Now, looking back, I’m so glad we both had patience. We took things slow and enjoyed getting to know each other. Patience is something I struggle with daily so I have reminders that say “Practice Patience” everywhere, one at work, one on my mirror at home, one in my car and even one on my phone. If you need to relax and practice patience, maybe you should make yourself some reminders too.

Hold On

It is inevitable- you are going to experience ups and downs. So hold on and enjoy every minute of it.  Life is a crazy fun roller coaster, but it’s even better with some faith and patience.

Whatever trials you may face today have faith and practice patience.

Happy Monday!

#patience #faith #mondays #relationships #anticipation #God