Whether by circumstance or by choice, being a part from your boyfriend is a tough situation. You might be used to spending time with him regularly, but life has cruelly separated you and your boo.
But it’s not all that bad! That old cliché, absence makes the heart grow fonder, isn’t a cliché for nothing. Even if you’re in a relationship, it’s good to spend time on your own and focus on yourself. You’ll see him soon enough! And the time apart will make your reunion even more rewarding.
1. He’s away (or you are), so you now have more time to catch up with your friends, or make new ones.
Sometimes, when we fall way too in love with our boyfriends, we start to neglect our friends. And they know that you don’t mean to, it’s just hard to divide up your time among so many people. So now that you have a ton of free down time, you can catch up with your girls and engross yourself in their lives.
2. Time spent with him can be used to focus on your personal interests.
Maybe you need to focus on you for a while. It’s so easy to be infatuated with your beau that you start to neglect your needs and desires. So start doing Pilates again, take a silent hike, or binge on your favorite shows with the volume as loud as you like.
3. You time.
Instead of date night this weekend, treat yourself to a date. Take a hot bubble bath, drink wine, and do a body scrub. How often do you get to really care for yourself and indulge in your favorite pleasures? Don’t worry about feeling guilty or self-centered, because everyone needs a little R&R for themselves.
4. The TV is all yours. No more sports or allotted time for his shows.
Revel in the fact that you get to control the remote for once. There’s no one there to tease you for getting super into Housewives of Wherever, or for recording horrible late night re-runs. Let loose and do what you want.
5. Use the distance to be romantic. Write him letters.
Even if you can’t be with him in person, you can still keep the romance alive. Get creative to show him that you miss him and think of him. Write a letter (with a paper and pen, no email!), and send it to him via snail mail. You can pour out all of your mushy “I miss yous” onto a handwritten love note, instead of the daily text with emojis. It’s much more heartfelt and loving.
6. Send little gifts and postcards to let your boyfriend know that you’re thinking about him.
If letter writing is too much for you, remind him that you’re still the cutest girl on the planet by sending him little reminders of your love. Your guy will love a care package or gift box, and he’ll probably fall even more in love with you.
7. Use the time apart to reflection on your relationship, and to think about your future.
Time apart from the beau is tough, but the distance allows you to step out of the relationship and look at what you’ve built together. You can remind yourself of why you love him, and why you want to be with him. What is it about him that makes you tick? When he gets back, you can tell him all of these revelations with a renewed spirit and deeper love.
8. When you get to see him again, that time apart will have been so worth it.
Believe it or not, spending time apart will only make your bond stronger. The moment you get to run back into his arms and give him a big kiss will only make you fall harder. And that’s a beautiful gift.