There’s only so much that can happen over texting or talking over the phone. People in relationships want to see each other and if they can’t, they may forget why they entered the coupledom in the first place. Fortunately, you can use technology to see the face of your significant other, just about whenever you want. Certain apps and services like Skype and Facebook Messenger allow you to video-conference on your phone or computer. Make use of these as often as you can to feel connected. Engaging in virtual activities together makes it seem like you are in a close-distance relationship and allows you to have fun as a couple. What you choose to do will together will depend on your individual interests. There are playful options to fit any couple's quirks.  For example, go online and play a computer game together, or get matching video game systems and compete together there. You can also play games against each other on your phone.  You might also watch movies or TV shows together or learn a skill like computer-coding. Couples need some kind of physical interaction and you can’t get that unless you see each other in person. Simply holding hands or sharing a meal together can make a huge difference in your relationship and keep that spark going strong. Stay committed to seeing each other as often as you can. For instance, make standing “dates” with each other, whether it’s every weekend, every two weeks, or once a month. Your long-distance relationship may not be feasible if you aren’t able to see each other regularly. You may need to reconsider your situation if you can’t meet each other’s needs. Part of being a couple is sharing and engaging in interests together. Doing so gives you something to talk about and helps you learn about each other. For instance, you can decide to start reading the same book at the same time and have a book club of sorts. You can start the same exercise program or diet together, or you can watch a movie at the same time you are talking on the phone.
++++++++++
One-sentence summary -- Use technology to see other often. Do things together virtually. Plan visits as often as you can. Do similar things together.


This model uses a foam sphere to represent the Earth with a quarter of it cut out so that you can see the inside layers of the “Earth”. Parental supervision/help is recommended when cutting a slice out of the ball.All of these supplies should be easily found around the house or purchased at a craft supply store. You want to cut out approximately a quarter of the foam ball. To do this, you need to draw a circle around the horizontal and vertical halves of the ball. It doesn’t have to be exactly the center, but try to get close.  Hold a ruler to the point that is about the center Hold the pencil in place above the ruler. Have a friend rotate the ball horizontally while you hold the pencil and watch the line form around the center. When the ball is back to the starting point, rotate the ball vertically. When you’re finished, you should have two pencil lines that dive the ball into quarters. With the 2 lines around the foam ball, it should be divided into quarters. You are going to cut one of those quarters out with the knife. Parental supervision is strongly recommended for this step.  Position the foam ball so that one of the lines is facing straight up. Place the knife on the line and gently saw back and forth until you reach the center of the ball (the horizontal line). Reposition the ball so that the horizontal line is now facing up. Gently saw again until you reach the center of the ball. Wiggle the quarter until it comes free from the ball. Make a small paper tag and wrap it around a toothpick. Tape it in place. Label each piece of paper with the corresponding layer. Stick the toothpick into the foam ball so that everything is properly labeled. Alternatively, you can write the labels directly on the ball.
++++++++++
One-sentence summary -- Gather the necessary materials. Draw a circle around the horizontal and vertical centers of the foam ball. Cut a quarter out of the ball. Label each layer with a toothpick.


Negative thoughts do nothing to improve your self-image. Spend a day or two actively reflecting upon how often you think about your body. How often do you think or say something negative about your body? How often do you have positive thoughts? Chances are, you are far more critical than positive. Consider keeping a tally in a journal, note-pad, or on your phone for this task. Carry a notebook with you when possible and quickly jot down each negative thought that comes up. Include whether or not the negative thought was related to the way you might have looked. At the end of the day, you will likely be amazed at how much more negative you are throughout at single day than you realized. While this may be difficult in the beginning, it's an important part of accepting your body. As soon as you notice yourself starting to have a negative thought, replace it with something positive about yourself. Give yourself time to get into the habit of thinking positively. Try starting each day by thinking a few positive thoughts. Remind yourself of these thoughts throughout the day when you start feeling critical of yourself. For example, you might say, "I really like the way this new haircut makes me feel." Try to cut back or stop engaging with television shows, movies, magazines, or blogs that present an unrealistic or negative depiction of the body. Remind yourself that a majority of photos circulating the internet and magazine subscriptions have been altered to make the models pictured  appear more in line with standard notions of beauty and sexuality. Psychologists are worried that with this trend's increase over the last 20 years, such images are creating unrealistic ideals regarding what a body should look like. Don’t allow yourself to be sucked in by these empty caricatures with no reference in the real world. Many CBT techniques used by psychologists focus on the present and short-term using goals as therapy. While it's best to see a therapist for CBT, you can begin to practice it on your own. When you notice a negative thought about yourself surface, stop yourself, take a deep breath, and try to locate the evidence for your belief. Has anyone actually told you this aspect of your body was flawed? If so, was the person just trying to hurt you, or maybe making a joke? Psychologists believe that, in many cases, if you have an unrealistic expectation of how you should look, you'll have a distorted body image. It's important to notice when these unrealistic expectations show up in your thought processes, so that you can hopefully challenge these ideals with concrete information. You are already working on being kinder to yourself and focusing on the positive aspects of yourself, but you also need to assess the other people in your life. Do you get criticism from your friends and family? Do they tell you that you need to lose weight, dress differently, or change your hair? If so, it's important that you find ways to address these negative influences. Keep in mind that you probably won't be able to cut out your close friends and family in the same way that you can stop buying Vogue or watching America's Next Top Model. Even so, if they body-shame you or are overly harsh and critical, you need to be willing to have a respectful, yet firm discussion with them about how their words or behaviors hurt you. As you try out new activities, talk to people you might typically ignore or shy away from. Talking to strangers might feel uncomfortable at first, but the more you do it the easier and better it will get. No matter how uncomfortable you might feel at first, keep in mind that isolating yourself from other people can be even worse, with some research suggesting it can be just as deadly in the long run as obesity. It is important to become more comfortable engaging with new people, especially if the people you are currently around aren’t supportive of your body-image or aren't positive influences. Brain research suggests that who people love is highly influenced by their brain chemistry, which means you might not always fall in love with the kind of person you imagined for yourself. This can also be true for building close friendships. It’s important to surround yourself with people who support you and encourage your self-discovery. Simply put, it will be much easier to accept your body and challenge any unrealistic ideals you might have if you're surrounded by people that accept you and your discoveries.
++++++++++
One-sentence summary --
Realize how much time you devote to negative thoughts. Replace negative thoughts with positive ones. Limit your exposure to negative media images. Find a therapist who uses Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Handle the negative people in your life. Mix in different social groups.