Long distance relationships can be hard. In most cases, you have to spend most of your time way from each other living two different lives in two different places. Whether 45 miles or 4500 miles, distance can be one of the greatest challenges for any couple to overcome. For many, distance becomes a cause for breakup but for the lucky few, distance is what causes you to know that if you can survive living away from each other, your relationship can survive anything.

1. Don't feel the need to talk/text every second of every day.

Distance can make you feel like you are only growing further and further away from each other and you may feel like the only way to stay together is if you are constantly talking at every second of every day. But really, if you're talking every second of every day, it's just going to put more strain on your relationship to feel like you always must have something to talk about.

2. Do talk on the phone or video chat at least twice a week.

Understandably, both people in the relationship are probably going to be busy at times leading their own separate lives. Sometimes you won't always have the time to put aside to talk or video chat. However, if you do talk at least a couple of times a week it will help give you time to bond and stay closer than if you stick strictly to texting.

3. Do make an effort to see each other as often as possible.

Of course, depending on the distance, the term "often" will most likely vary with every couple. If they live a few hours away, perhaps try to see them once every couple of weeks or so, but if they live, per say, across the country, this could be a much less frequent occasion, But it is important for you to try to see your significant other as much as you can.

4. Don't get frustrated by the distance.

Living away from the person you love can be hard but the most important thing is for you to stay optimistic and try to realize that distance is a temporary thing.

5. Don't ignore your significant other.

No matter how upset you are at them during a fight or anything like that, one of the worst things that you can do in a long distance relationship is to ignore them. It can often make the other person feel helpless because they have no way of talking to you or getting to you. Talking out your frustrations is the only way to survive the distance.

6. Do take them into consideration.

In many instances, you will be faced with decisions in your life that you are not going to be able to talk with your significant other with. Especially if they are a distance away, it makes it easier to forget that some of the decisions that you make can effect them and you relationship as well. Just don't forget to take them into consideration while making some of your decisions.

7. Don't feel bad for missing them.

When you're away from someone that you love for any amount of time, especially after adjusting to being with them so much, sometimes you might just want to sit alone in your room and cry. Sometimes you won't want to talk to anyone because the only person that you really want to talk to is far away, but that's okay. You shouldn't feel bad for telling a friend you're not up for going out tonight because distance can be really hard.

8. Do stay optimistic.

Sometimes when things get hard, it becomes easy to consider that maybe the relationship just isn't meant to be or that maybe things just aren't going to work out. The best thing you can do for your relationship is to believe in your love and to believe that everything is going to work out and the rest will eventually fall into place.

9. Don't be fooled by thinking every long distance relationship is the same.

This is an important one. People often think that just because you see a relationship crash and burn in a movie that theirs is also sure to fail. Every relationship is different just as every person is different. The only thing that affects the outcome of the relationship is the two participants and their willingness to compromise and their will to love one another.

10. Don't let the distance become a barrier.

When you are faced with something like distance, the best thing that you can do is to use it to the greatest advantage that you can. It can be a time where you can find yourselves and grow as individuals, and bring your growth into your relationship. If you yourselves grow, your relationship is sure to follow suit.

11. Do believe that absence really does make the heart grow fonder.

Love knows not distance; it hath no continent; its eyes are for the stars. -Roger de Bussy-Rabutin

The saying is one of the most common saying about a long distance relationship, but it really can be true Once the distance is gone, it makes you realize how truly lucky you are to have someone who means so much to you in your life.