Ok, everyone, I know this blog post is not a normal topic of discussion, but I feel like it is worth talking about. For those of you who do not know, I have been in a long distance relationship for 5 years. Yes...5 years on two different coasts. 

My boyfriend, Taylor, lived in Maryland and I live in Los Angeles. Of course, I will never tell you long distance is easy and that there aren't ups and downs because I would just be lying. However, I do have some basic tips that can make long distance feel a hell of a lot easier.

Warning - these tips might come off harsh, but I mean them with love. 

1. Don't Pout

I get it, long distance sucks. BUT the more you pout and are upset over being long distance, the harder it will be. So, try to relax and be positive. I guarantee if you think hard enough you can come up with at least one reason long distance isn't that bad.

Realize you are never going to have so much free time on your hands to do whatever you want to do with no obligation to be home for someone else. Hello freedom...go out, network, have girls night every night, stay up late watching the Notebook, have boozy brunch every weekend. 

2. Trust 

I always get the question "Well what if my bf/gf is cheating on me or doing something bad?". Well, I hate to be the one to say this, but if you truly have that gut feeling you are probably right. However, if you have absolutely no reason to actually think they are cheating and your rationale is actually based in jealousy/pure fear, then you need to relax and realize that insecurity will get your relationship nowhere. At the end of the day, you have two options. Option 1 - trust that the other person will be faithful and give the relationship your all. Option 2 - stress and panic about nothing and end up driving the other person away because of your own insecurities. 

I pick option 1. 

3. Support 

This is one of my biggest tips because it truly will affect how your relationship ends up. Support is key no matter who you are with. If you don't support your bf/gf than why are you with them? You should never look at their dreams, goals or aspirations as somehow crushing yours or problematic to the relationship. If your bf/gf wants to live in Spain for two years, why not? I hate to say this, but it's not your life. You may be part of it, but you need to remember they are trying to grow as a person too and you need to allow them to make decisions on their own.

Always support one another whether that be something as simple as sending a quick text before a big meeting or just letting them know you will be supporting them with whatever decisions they make. It is those small acts of support that strengthen your foundation. 

4. Communicate 

Being in a long distance relationship takes away physical interaction, which means you need to communicate more openly than ever before. This can be hard at first, it certainly was for me. It feels weird to be so open about your emotions and feelings and be vulnerable with someone you can't always see or even talk to regularly. However, if you communicate properly, long distance can actually strengthen your relationship.

For me, I never had endless amounts of time I could be on the phone, so it taught me to use my words wisely when speaking. This, in the end, helped our relationship grow because we had deeper conversations than we probably would have had in person and more meaningful ones when we could talk because we didn't want to waste the time. 

5. Be Honest  

The worst thing you can ever do in a long distance relationship is lie or not tell the entire truth about something. The other person will always find out and it is going to blow up in your face.. trust me...I don't care how far away they are, the truth always comes out. So, be honest whenever possible and open with one another. 

I don't care if it is something as simple as letting them know you were frustrated with something small they did. Address the issue at hand, discuss and move on. You don't have the glitz and glamour in a long distance relationship to kiss and make up, so you need to address issues head-on and be honest with your feelings.