"Distance means so little when someone means so much."

That quote should resonate within the mind and hearts of anyone currently involved in a long-distance relationship. Even if you are thinking about getting involved in one, that quote will save you a lot of time, which would have been wasted with doubts and uncertainties.

REPLACING THE MISCONCEPTION

This quote needs to replace the common mentality that "long distance relationships do not work" or even "long distance relationships are doomed from the start."

With that type of misconception, it is no wonder why so many people seem to avoid this particular type of relationship all together. The problem is that the high number of failed long distance relationships seems to eclipse the growing number of long distance bonds that succeed.

The key to making sure that your long distance relationship succeeds is simple: hard work.

It takes hard work and consistent effort to keep the flame of a long-distance relationship burning brightly.

Yes, it is imperative to make regular visits in order to see each other whenever possible without making the other person feel smothered. However, that does not mean that you are off-the-clock when it comes to working on your relationship in between those face-to-face visits.

EVERYBODY NEEDS REASSURANCE

Your significant other is searching for the same thing that you are - reassurance. Reassurance that you still feel strongly about them. Reassurance that you are just as involved in making the relationship work as they are right now. Reassurance that you are going to do everything you can to make it work - regardless of the odds that claim it's improbable.

Therefore, you need to put in the time, effort and hard work necessary to provide that reassurance on all levels. Why? Three reasons.

1) Law of Reciprocity: If you do it, chances are that he/she will reciprocate your efforts to provide you with the same level of reassurance.

2) Value, Value, Value: Who doesn't want to feel valued and appreciated? Putting in the time and effort to make your relationship work - despite the physical distance that separates you two - will add value to your bond and make your significant other feel valued at the same time. At the end of the day, isn't that what you want?

3) True Love is Cultivated over Time: A long distance relationship shares a major similarity with a short-distance relationship: true love needs time to develop. An unknown person once said that "true love doesn't mean being inseparable; it means being separated and nothing changes." This essentially goes back to reassurance - making sure that you and your significant other remain on the same page.

THE BOTTOM LINE

There is nothing wrong with having a long-distance relationship. Although a high number of these bonds crash and burn, there are still quite a few that are still flying high in the clouds of love. The difference between crashing and flying is amount of hard work that you put into keeping your relationship off of the ground.