Have you recently gathered up the courage to move away from your family and friends? Maybe you haven’t yet, because you are frightened of loosing the connection you feel with your loved ones. Having any sort of distance between yourself and loved ones can be terrifying. However, in this day and age, it might be inevitable that you are separated in distance from the people who matter most. Due to college, jobs or relationships, most of us live in a different state or even country than our friends and family.
If this is the case, how do we stay connected with one another?
What guarantees us that we will not loose the bond and closeness we feel in our most important relationships? The truth, of course, is there are no guarantees in life. We can, however, take cautionary steps to help maintain the authenticity of the most important relationships in our lives.
Here are a few tips to stay connected:
- Take the time to actually talk – This might seem like the most obvious tip yet it cannot be stressed enough! This is the best way to feel connected to loved ones. Take advantage of technology! There are many ways in which we can use technology to communicate with loved ones far away. Call, Text, Skype and FaceTime are just a few of the ways you can use technology to communicate. A quick text can take less than 30 seconds. However, it might make a huge impact on your mom’s day when you might not have spoken to her in a while. Take advantage of the day and age we are in.
- Help those back home “see” your life – This is where you can take advantage of technology again, only in different ways. Allow your friends and family back home to actually see your new life. It will help them become engaged and have interest in your new place. You can take advantage of Social Media, Blogging or Photo Steams to update friends and family in a way that is convenient for you and for them.
- Plan trips and visit home – Nothing beats face to face time when trying to reconnect. Decide on an amount of time that is the absolute longest you would like to go without seeing those you care about and stick to it! Traveling may be a hassle at times but it is so important for those who are far from “home”. At the same time, encourage friends and family to come to your new home. Remember that relationships are two-way streets and your friends can make an effort as well.
Amanda Dempsey, LAMFT
Adempsey @ growcounseling.com
Photo Credit: Public Domain