Absence can make the heart grow fonder, but it can also rip a couple apart.
Khloe Kardashian has been dating Cleveland Cavaliers' Tristan Thompson, whom she is expecting her first child with, for over a year now and things appear to be better than ever for the parents-to-be.
But, the deck was certainly stacked against the formerly long-distance couple. The reality star and the baller are currently living together in Ohio, however, for the majority of their relationship the pair have lived in different cities. Despite that struggle, the twosome have managed to make it work and to thrive.
On Monday, Khloe took to her website to talk about how she made it through the physical separation and to give some helpful tips to anyone currently in a long-distance relationship.
She began, "Nobody says dating long distance is easy—I am so happy Tristan and I live together now!"
The pregnant reality star did admit that times can be hard, "Things can get complicated—you might get sad and lonely at times. (Don't worry, BTW, that's totally normal!)."
But she also acknowledged there's some good that comes out of living apart from the one you love: "Being long distance also means you get to appreciate one another on a deeper level without the distractions of physical getting in the way."
She also detailed the simple joys, "like holding hands, eating at the same table, feeling each other's touch, taking a walk together, smelling their hair—the sweetest when you're in the same city again."
Here are Khloe's 6 tips (in her words) on making long-distance relationships work:
1: Set Ground Rules: "This is the most important first step. If you don't have ground rules, you don't have boundaries. You really have to be open and honest with what your expectations are—and also make sure you're respectful of theirs too (as long as they're reasonable, of course)."
2: Communicate Regularly: "Not only communicate regularly, but also creatively. Keep your partner in your life. It sets the tone for your relationship and makes everyone feel included when they're far away. Text throughout the day, even if it's just to let them know you're thinking about them. And make time to Facetime or Skype, too!"
3: Flirt With the Mind: "Teasing is good and healthy when you're long distance! Drop little hints about something you want to try in the bedroom next time you see them. It will give you both something to look forward to until you're together again!"
4. Make Time to Visit: "Look at your calendars and agree on a long weekend for one of you to fly to the other—and keep that date! Just make sure you both are sharing the travel responsibility and it's not one-sided. Also, get a credit card that will earn miles, lol!"
5. Do Things "Together": "There might be hundreds or even thousands of miles between you two, but you can still share moments. Watch your favorite TV show over Facetime or do something productive, like go for a run or organize your closets together."
6. Think About the Big Picture: "At the end of the day, this will be the most important thing to keep in mind as you continue to date and get to know each other. Do you both share the same dreams and ideals? Do you both want the same things out of life—and, more importantly, the relationship? If the answer is yes, then the sacrifices you're making now will pay off big time in the long run."
Good luck, long-distance lovebirds!