If you've been in a long-distance relationship before, you've definitely been asked how you do it. I know I have, but for the longest time I didn't have an answer. It just happened, and we got through it. I took the time to analyze my relationship, however, and I found my answers:

1. I couldn't have done it with anyone else

Saying goodbye to your S.O. is too much for some people, but it may be blamed on the fact that you aren't supposed to be with that person in the first place. It takes a lot of dedication and patience to last through a long-distance relationship, and those traits are often found within someone's personality. My boyfriend was so dedicated to our relationship that giving up was never an option.

2. Effort was still put in from 1,000 miles away

Once my boyfriend left, we didn't just stop trying to woo one another. Little efforts here and there are what positively contributed to our entire experience, whether that be receiving flowers on my birthday or sending letters back and forth. That effort gave both of us the reassurance we needed to keep pushing through.

3. Our emotional connection is limitless

A lot of people rely on the physical presence of their S.O. to make their relationship work, but we didn't have that luxury. My boyfriend and I took his distance as a chance to get to know each other better than we've known anybody else. We relied strictly on each others' words, and that was a rewarding blessing that kept our minds occupied. I can confidently say we know each other like the backs of our hands because talking was as intimate as we could get.

4. We understood the balance between school or work and our relationship

I would definitely argue that a long-distance relationship requires more attention than a normal one, and for a while we couldn't find the balance between the two and would go quite a while without having a great conversation. Once we found the balance, though, it came a routine, and that contributed to our success.

My boyfriend and I spent close to nine months apart while he was away for the military, and I only saw him three times. While I can definitely say that these factors were what helped us survive the distance, there is one that sticks out from them all:

5. Loving him, and being loved by him in return, made it worthwhile

I love my boyfriend, so why wouldn't I wait for him to come home? The time that we plan to spend together in the future trumps the nine months that he was away.

I'm not saying it was a piece of cake, but I do believe that it was much easier than people anticipate when they ask me how we did it. We got through his time away with reassurance, effort, and a whole lot of love.