Yes, long-distance relationships can be very inconvenient and you probably wouldn't say, "I always want my significant others to be as far away as possible." But, here's a shocker: Life doesn't always make things convenient for you. Sometimes the person you want to be with is in East Holy Cow That's Far Away or West Your Morning is My Nighttime.

That doesn't mean you should give up and not try to make it work. Long-distance relationships can and often do go the distance, leading to successful marriage and other long-term partnerships. Distance can end up deepening and strengthening a bond. But you and your partner do need to do the work to make it all work. Here are 15 things that you can do:

You never want one partner to say, "But I thought this was an open relationship" or "I am calling you my one and only petit chou [which means "little cabbage" in French] while you are telling others that I am just a friend." Both of you have to be on the same page about what is expected of each other. Make sure that expectations are realistic and fulfilled.

Mutually set a regular cadence to connect, and stick to the schedule. Otherwise, imaginations can run, wild with "Where were you?" questions quickly morphing into........

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