Six months into my LDR, there are so many things that I have learned. For those of you who are just starting out on your LDR journey or for those of you who are just interested in what I have learned, here are the top 5 lessons I have learned on my LDR journey so far.

Start from a place of trust.

To me, trust is one of the key elements in a LDR. I think that if I didn’t trust Richard, I would be constantly nervous about the state of our relationship. Not that I don’t have my moments of insecurities – I am human after all! But if I were constantly worrying about Richard straying or constantly doubting his words, it would really distract me from doing my part in growing our relationship in a positive way. I really feel like if you’re in a LDR with someone, you’re making a huge commitment out of love. So, why not start from that positive perspective and trust the person you’re choosing to be with?!

Subpoint to this lesson: If your ex or exes hurt you in the past, I know it’s difficult to place trust in other people again. But as someone whose ex LDR SO cheated on her, hear me out on this one: Do not let your current LDR SO pay for your past. I know it is so much easier said than done, but everyone deserves the benefit of the doubt. More importantly, you deserve to start your LDR on the right, positive foot.

Keep your expectations realistic.

One of the greatest lessons I have learned in life, not just on my LDR journey, has been to keep expectations realistic, even to keep them low. If you guys follow Jenna Marbles, you’ll know that she posted a video on this exact topic, and she captures my feelings on it perfectly.

Ultimately, it’s great to have goals for yourself and your relationships. The problem, I find, comes when your expectations are just so high that as soon as you or your SO don’t meet these expectations, you get disillusioned with your SO and/or your relationship. And that leads me to my next lesson learned…

Take it one day at a time.

Just because all of the boxes are ticked on one day of your relationship does not mean that the rule will apply the next day. Every day is a new opportunity to grow. Sometimes you’ll succeed, and sometimes you’ll fail. I really encourage all of you to embrace that two-sided coin when it comes to your LDR. Remember: For a flower to grow, it needs rain and sunshine. So, take a deep breath and take everything one step at a time to grow the beautiful relationship you deserve.

Be open, honest, and communicative.

We’re so lucky that we live in a time where communication technology has grown leaps and bounds from where it was even 20 years ago! We have so many options to communicate with people regardless of how far away from us. But none of those options work without being open, honest, and communicative with your SOs in LDRs. If you don’t like something, say it. If you feel scared about something, even if you can’t explain it, voice it. Nothing you have to share with your SO is insignificant.

Without proper communication, I think a LDR doesn’t have much to stand on. The quantity of your communication matters less than the quality of your communication. So, if that means you have to talk 24/7 or only once a week, as long as you get fulfillment and joy out of your LDR, that’s what I think matters!

Take time for you.

I wrote about this before, but I can’t emphasize enough how important “you” time is in any relationship – LDR or not. Go out with your friends. Explore your interests – academic, professional, personal. Meet new people. Challenge yourself. Travel! There’s so much to do in this world and in life. Give yourself a chance and live life to the fullest!

Inspired by the LDRBN Blogging Prompt: Pre-LDR

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