What Do Guys Want In A Long-Distance Relationship?

What guys want in a long-distance relationship becomes a crucial question especially if you are in one. It can be difficult to spend sleepless nights without wondering what he is doing. Is he missing yo as much as you’re missing him? Ah, the pain stings, doesn’t it? But distance doesn’t matter when the souls are together.
One of the most relevant findings says that each individual perceives distance differently. At the end of the day, it’s all about how you react to this distance. They say the art of love is largely the art of persistence. You go on loving them despite the fact that they are miles away.
As Christina Perri sings, “I have died every day waiting for you, darling don’t be afraid I have loved you for a thousand years, I’ll love you for a thousand more.” She perfectly captures the essence of yearning and anticipation of that physical gap between partners in an LDR.
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Things Guys Want In A Long-Distance Relationship
A long-distance relationship is hard. But that doesn’t mean you have to give up on the person you love. In the absence of physical closeness, you need to rely on trust, patience, communication, and commitment to keep it harmonious and healthy. We’ll tell you all the things to do in a long-distance relationship and how to make your boyfriend feel loved, even when miles apart from you.
1. Healthy communication is the key
Guys and long-distance relationships sometimes don’t get along because communication falters. We are not saying you seem to be at fault here, but it happens.
You have physical distance between the two of you. Perhaps you are running on different time zones, or maybe your job timings differ from your boyfriend’s. Due to these limitations, you aren’t able to provide emotional support to your boyfriend when he is feeling low or alone, and vice versa. Sometimes, you don’t even know he has been upset because of the time-zones and the distance.
Research contends that the quality of couples’ communication predicts relationship satisfaction over time. So, here are some tips on how to be a good girlfriend in long-distance relationships through communication:
- Always have open and honest communication with your partner. Say whatever you feel like without hiding things
- Send good morning and good night texts
- Keep each other updated even if the other person is busy. Just drop a text!
- Avoid giving him the silent treatment after a fight
2. Lots of video calls and pictures
The lines from Zayn Malik and Taylor Swift’s song perfectly describe this situation — “Been sitting eyes wide open behind these four walls, hoping you’d call”.
That’s how desperate your boyfriend must be waiting for you to call. Video calls are the only thing that will keep this relationship alive. It’s time to take as much advantage as you can of the digital age.
Be a good girlfriend in long distance relationship by having virtual dates and virtual movie nights almost every day. Look at each other’s faces. Talk about your boyfriend’s handsome face. Appreciate him. Tell him how much you miss him. This is how you show a man you love him in a long-distance relationship.
You can also send photos. From cute selfies to food and workplace pictures, send him photos to create a strong bond. This is a great way to show him how much he means to you, especially if you can’t have clear communication throughout the day. Make this your daily routine.
Furthermore, some racy pictures will fuel his desire for you. Sending and receiving intimate pictures work wonders in a long-distance relationship. Such surprise messages and pictures will keep both your attractions burning.
3. He wants you to reassure him of your love
Reassurance is what guys want in a long-distance relationship. It involves providing comfort, emotional support, and validation to your partner. You have to express love, and commitment, and become more understanding to reduce any uncertainties or anxieties he may have. Here are some ways to give reassurance in a long-distance relationship:
- Offer him specific compliments like talking about his personality, kindness, and emotional maturity
- Don’t keep things surface-level. Discuss his dreams, fears, and aspirations
- Send him heartwarming messages and long paragraphs mentioning how much you love him and want him in your life
- If you haven’t committed to him yet, then do it as a gesture of reassurance
4. Acknowledge his feelings
If he is feeling triggered or has doubts about your intentions or the relationship itself, then it’s good to sit down and have a chat about it. It’s nothing unusual to go through such things in a long-distance relationship. Give him your full attention to have effective communication. Avoid interruptions and make eye contact.
Let him know that his emotions are valid and that you understand where he is coming from. Avoid dismissing or belittling his feelings. Show empathy by putting yourself in his shoes. Create a personal space where he can share his feelings without being judged. This will act like a trust-bonding exercise between the two of you.

5. Put in that extra effort
If your partner believes that something is lacking in your relationship, then don’t invalidate his feelings. He is just saying what he is feeling based on your regular communication with him.
So, what can you do about it when there is so much distance? The best thing you can do right now is to put in that extra effort. For example, if he doesn’t feel like talking, don’t readily agree and let him go.
Spend quality time with him, provide him with words of encouragement, and convince him sweetly (without any coercion) to open up. This will keep your relationship vibrant and healthy.
In addition to that, you can also try to keep the spark by going to meet him in person whenever you can. It doesn’t have to be a long surprise visit. Just for a day or two. Spend it with him. Such extra effort is what makes a healthy relationship.
6. Address his insecurities
If one partner feel insecure, it’s the other partner’s responsibility to make his insecurities go away. Keep the communication lines open and encourage transparency. Find out where his insecurities are stemming from.
Is it from his past relationship or did you do something to break his trust? Have you hurt him somehow? If that’s the case, then you need to work collaboratively to solve the problems and build trust.
Establish clear boundaries and expectations in the relationship. That’s how you will be able to address his issues. You also need to be consistent. Just because you spoke about his worries once doesn’t mean you will skip it the next time he brings it time. If you want this romantic relationship to work out, then you need to practice consistency.
7. Send him gifts
Sending surprise gifts is one of the sweet things to do in a long-distance relationship. This is one of the sweet gestures that will reignite his feelings for you. The gifts don’t have to be expensive. Just a memorable one that sends a “thinking of you” message across. Here are some other special things you can do:
- You can write a love letter and post it
- You can also send him special gifts like a care package that consists of scented candles, body washes, lotions, and some comfy pajamas
- Throw in a greeting card with a sweet handwritten poem
That’s how a guy wants to stay in touch with the love of his life, through virtual dates, movie nights, and surprise gifts that will sweep him off his feet.

8. Have shared experiences
What does a boyfriend expect from his girlfriend LDR? Shared experiences that encompass a range of moments where you and him engage in the same activities.
These activities can be as mundane or as extraordinary as you want. Such things are easier to do in person but how to have shared experiences in a long-distance relationship?
- You can stream movies together at the same time
- You can listen to the same songs
- You can do activities together like cooking. He can cook at his place and you can do it at yours. Share recipes and spend a day cooking or baking
- You can also play online games together like Poker, Ludo, or COD
These shared moments create a deeper connection. This will help you have a lot of inside jokes, and memories, and a shared narrative will strengthen the emotional bond between the two of you.
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9. A bit of naughty sexting
If your long-distance boyfriend had a bad day, then try to lift his spirits by sending him raunchy text messages. According to a new study, it has been found that sending nudes or sexy texts is the new way to keep the spark alive in your relationship. This is one of the romantic things you can do to make your boyfriend feel special.
Intimacy in long-distance relationships matters a lot as it will help you feel closer to your partner even if you are miles away. This will allow you to maintain a sexual connection and will enhance emotional closeness.
If he is not comfortable with it or if you are not comfortable, then you don’t need to force yourself. You can find another way to keep your physical and irresistible emotional connection alive.
Physical presence matters a lot in a relationship but due to circumstances, you and your partner have to live separately. With the help of our above tips, we hope you’ve learned all about making your boyfriend happy in a long-distance relationship. Now, scroll down and find out how you can make him feel special.
6 Ways To Make Your Boyfriend Feel Special In A Long-Distance Relationship
Making an LDR work isn’t an easy task. Guys want to feel loved and valued regardless of physical proximity. They want commitment and unexpected gestures that will make them feel like they are wanted in this relationship. That’s why it’s important to make your boyfriend feel special by doing the following things:
1. Discuss the future
How to win a guy’s heart long-distance style? Future planning is the way to go about it. A study showed that partners perceive that future talk has certain functions in their relationships and has the potential to positively impact the relationship.
Talk about having a shared future. Imagine how it will look and where you see yourselves in the next five years. Your shared vision matters a lot here because you never know when your partner will require reassurance. Future plans are one of the ways to clear away any doubts he has regarding the future.
2. Stay curious about each other
One more way to make your boyfriend feel loved and special is by staying curious about one another. Don’t make him feel like you are poking your nose in his business or being too snoopy. Just ask a few questions like:
- What was the highlight of your day?
- What did you enjoy the least about today?
- What made you laugh today?
- Was work stressful?
By asking such open-ended questions, he will feel like you are making an effort to get to know him better. You can also ask questions related to his vulnerabilities, insecurities, traumas, and childhood.

3. Virtually introduce him to your friends and family members
This is one of the ways you can make your long-distance boyfriend feel special. Introduce him to your inner circle. Have your friends add him on their social media accounts so he knows that you’ve told them about him. Your siblings can also have video calls with him as a way of welcoming him into the family.
Similarly, you can have group video chats with your friends where you can talk about your first meeting, first kiss, the first time you went on a date, and all the lovely memories you have with him. These are some of the small gestures that will make your boyfriend feel loved.
4. Practice self-care together
Do self-care activities together because they provide personal growth and contribute positively to the relationship. It also helps in managing stress, anxiety, and other emotional challenges. Both you and your boyfriend will begin to understand the importance of individual well-being.
Here are some ways you can practice self-care as a couple:
- Do meditation on video calls
- Journal your thoughts
- If one partner is having negative thoughts, then alleviate them by mentioning their positive traits and loving habits
- Set life and relationship goals together
- Plan your next visit together
5. Do some social media PDA
Since you can’t do PDA in public, indulge in some social media PDA. Post pictures of your boyfriend and write cute captions for him. Do it randomly. Don’t wait for a special occasion to celebrate your boyfriend on social media. It will make you feel connected.
It’s like you are publicly acknowledging your partner’s presence in your life. Such posts also contribute to creating a digital history of the relationship where you capture memories and showcase the journey as a couple.
6. Dress up for him
Even though the two of you are not together physically, you can still dress up for him and increase his desire for you. It communicates that you value the effort you both put into maintaining the relationship.
Also, putting thought into your appearance demonstrates that you consider the relationship important enough to invest time and effort into making it special. It’s one of the ways to turn your ordinary moments into special occasions.
Key Takeaways
- Long-distance relationships are hard. That’s why you need to make your boyfriend feel loved by prioritizing video calls and reassuring your love for him
- You can also have some shared experiences like cooking together and meditating together
- You can make him feel special by dressing up for him and reminiscing the good old times
What guys want in a relationship often changes from person to person. A few common things every guy wants center around core elements of emotional and physical connection, communication, and understanding. He seeks a partner who has a sense of respect and support. Take care of your long-distance relationship by forming a foundation of mutual care, appreciation, and a shared commitment to growth and happiness together.
Infographic: What Do Guys Want In A Long-Distance Relationship
