There’s no doubt that we’re currently living in interesting times, and we’re all experiencing a lot of changes right here in Berks County, Pennsylvania. Social distancing can be isolating, scary and can affect us differently every day.
For some of you, it may be affecting your relationships. Whether it’s friendships, family or a dating relationship, there’s a chance that you may be experiencing a “long distance relationship” for the very first time! Here are some helpful tips on how to maintain your relationships and friendships during this time of uncertainty and quarantine.
1. COMMUNICATION IS KEY
Communication is very important in any relationship, but you may find that people who experience a distant relationship tend to develop strong communication skills at a faster rate. Especially during this time, communication is going to be your number one priority in maintaining your relationships! Phone calls, texting, FaceTime and Facebook Messenger are all great sources for communication during this time. Find what works best for you and your relationships!
Maybe you’re like me and have a group of girlfriends that you can’t see right now. Something that has helped us is forming a group text! Something that we’ve been doing is asking each other fun questions everyday. For example, today we asked each other what our top five dream vacation spots are, and we all shared where we dreamed of traveling. It might sound silly, but it’s a fun way to keep things lighthearted during a time of uncertainty. You might learn something new about the people you have relationships with!
2. BE OPEN AND VULNERABLE
It’s okay to be lighthearted during this time, but it’s also completely okay to be open and vulnerable! We are all struggling with something during this time, or maybe we’ve experienced different disappointments. It’s okay to be open, express how you’re feeling and mourn your losses.
It’s important to remember that just because you might be by yourself, you don’t have to keep your feelings bottled up inside of you. And you don’t have to wait for someone to reach out to you. Be brave and share, because it means something to you! When you do this, it allows the other person to be open and vulnerable, too. When you’re both willing to be open and vulnerable, you’re able to form deeper and intimate connections!
3. BE INTENTIONAL
I can not stress enough how important it is to be intentional in any relationship! You might be asking yourself, “What does it mean to be intentional?” It means that you are being purposeful in your words and actions. Now, that can look very different for everyone.
For someone it could be as simple as genuinely wanting to know how your day went. Or it could be sending pictures throughout the day that remind you of each other, praying together at night, sending food delivery to their house, having a date night over FaceTime or sending someone a “thinking of you” text. It also could look different depending on how you give love and how the person you’re interacting with receives love. It’s important to remember that being intentional during this time can really help to grow and deepen your relationships, even if you aren’t with them in person.
Being separated from your loved ones is hard, especially when you don’t know for how long, but that doesn’t mean you have to put your relationships on hold. Have great communication, be open and vulnerable and be intentional, and hopefully you’ll see your relationships grow and flourish!
FOR MORE TIPS
We want each of you to experience positive and healthy relationships, and we would love to be a resource for you! If you’d like to continue growing and thriving in your relationship, we offer FREE relationship classes — now offered online!
For more information on other classes we offer, visit our website.
Alexis Dawkins Community Outreach Coordinator