Emotional contentment is one of the benefits of being in a healthy relationship, especially within military families. The happy times can be made even better, and the difficult ones can be made easier when you share a close connection with your military partner or spouse. However, feeling cut off from your partner is not uncommon due to the situation you’re in.

Couples may become estranged due to the strains of military life, work, or children, and this is exacerbated by long distances if one is stationed overseas. When this occurs, do something to rebuild your military family bond and make it more resilient to future difficulties.

What to Do When You Feel Disconnected

Ignoring warning signs in your relationship may seem easier than taking action. However, they can accumulate rapidly if you don't deal with them at a distance.

• Reach Out to Your Partner: If you observe any changes in conduct, get in touch. Steer clear of conflict. Have a discussion about it instead. Ask your partner to be as open as you are about your fears.
• Identify Problems Together: Approach the problem-solving process as a team. Refrain from blaming one another or getting upset. Rather, collaborate to pinpoint and address the problem.
• Concentrate on Solving the Problem: Put your options for resolving your issues in writing. Discuss each one and think about taking a course that seems right.
• Count Your Blessings: Finding the positive aspects of your relationship will help you remember what you enjoy about one another and make you feel closer and more content.
• Discuss Your Values and Desires: Tell your partner what matters to you, and ask them to do the same. You may discover that, although having different definitions, you have similar values and aspirations. Understanding each other's wants and expectations better will result from having a conversation about it.

Reaffirming Your Emotional Bond

Be proactive in fortifying your relationship when you feel separated. The following actions should be taken:

• Make Time for Conversation Every Day: Discussing your day fosters intimacy. During your conversations, keep in mind that you should give each other your undivided attention. Know how you and your military partner create and practice effective communication in your relationship.
• Set Expectations: Decide how frequently you will communicate throughout the day. Put the quality of the talks over how many times you do it.
• Mix & Match Your Time: Spend time with loved ones and friends as a couple. However, you should also make every effort to spend time together alone. You'll feel more energized even if you get up a few minutes early to eat breakfast together before the kids wake up.
• Do Outdoor Activities Together: Studies have shown that being active outside will improve your mood, which will lead to more favorable feelings for one another. As a pair, go for a stroll around the neighborhood, a hike, or a bike ride.

Understanding the Life of Your Military Partner

Along with times of loneliness and isolation, a military spouse's life can be full of thrilling new experiences. Understanding what your partner is going through can help deal with the loneliness and feeling of disconnection. When juggling the demands of military life with their families and careers, spouses show resilience and adaptability.

Although every person's experience is unique, being a military spouse typically entails:

• Frequent Moves: Families in the military typically relocate every two to four years. Leaving a career, saying goodbye to friends, and starting over in a new and unfamiliar environment can be challenging. Every move presents a difficulty in adjusting, even though they have the chance to live in other regions of the nation and even the world.
• Separations From Military Partners: The difficulty of doing household duties alone can sometimes be too much for spouses to handle. They can miss their partner's company and worry about their safety. Service members may miss significant occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, and even a child's birth while deployed. Military families, however, frequently come up with inventive methods to involve the deployed member in these occasions. Although deployments might be taxing, they can also demonstrate to spouses how much they can manage independently.

Staying Connected While Apart

Couples may find it more difficult to maintain communication while separated by military deployments or other circumstances. Be proactive in maintaining your emotional intimacy by doing these:

• Create a Plan for Communication: Determine how you will respond to challenges such as time zone differences. Make a list of the different situations you could encounter and think of solutions for each.
• Share an Experience Together: While on video chat, watch a movie. After reading the same book, set aside some time to talk about it. As a couple, start a fantasy sports league. Use your favorite apps and play virtual games together.
• Send Pictures, Audio Greetings, or Videos: You will feel closer to your military partner if you’re able to send pictures and videos from time to time, ensuring you’re always in each other's lives.

Read next:

• Homeschooling During Deployment: Tips For Military Spouses
• The Impact of Veteran Affairs Marriage Counseling On Relationships

Sources:

• Support for the Military Spouse In Your Life
• How to Stay Connected to Your Spouse During Deployment
• What to Do When You Feel Disconnected From Your Partner