But it might be overwhelming at times when partners are faced with too many challenges and setbacks and cannot handle them alone, just because they are not spending their daily lives together. Some tips could be helpful for people who are going through tough separation periods.

Long distance relationships can actually enhance maturity, bonding and growth. You learn to be honest to each other and show respect and trust for each other. Since there is no day-to-day interaction with each other, each one's thoughts are not communicated to each other for which there is no discussion and reflection.

The most important thing about long-distance relationships is to listen to each other in a caring manner. You must have implicit trust in your partner, and this can only be facilitated if there is total honesty in the partnership.

Each partner should voluntarily offer information and show empathy. Each one in the relationship should feel secure and be prompted to open up to each other. This is possible if each one shows what you are feeling and are reflecting about the relationship. For this you need to communicate with each other frequently and this is the core of building and maintaining any long-distance relationship.

If you are staying together it is possible to talk or check in with your partner at least once a day. Just this one-time talk can be a stabilizing force to a relationship. But when the partners are living away from each other, this force has to be established in different ways. Just pick up the phone and talk to your partner at least once a day, even if it is for a few minutes. This enables you to share details and updates about each other's lives. Also, if you check in with each other, you can definitely look forward to something special during the day. And you can always make plans and discuss your next reunion.

Make your questions emotionally intimate and this will automatically strengthen the bond between each other, just showing how much you mean to each other. Talk openly about the relationship itself by asking questions about it, like how you are feeling about each other. Or whether any of you harbor any concerns or worries about the relationship.

You don't have to restrict yourself to phoning in this day and age. Technology is a boon to long-distance relationships. Of course cell phones offer 'free night and weekends' plans, and on the whole telephoning has become cheaper and more convenient. Making use of a different technology like the email or text message could definitely come as a surprise and add a bit of spice to your long-distance relationship. Internet free greeting cards or letters via "snail mail" could be romantic and also a keepsake memento for times when you are both lonely and missing each other.

There are often misunderstandings, misinterpretations and hard feelings between the partners living apart from each other. But it is essential to maintain a sense of humor with your partner.

Understanding the partner and knowing each other well should nurture a healthy relationship. In the bargain you get to know, understand and accept your partner with the strengths and weaknesses as well as positive and negative qualities.