In my relationship, I really missed the physical aspects of being together with my s/o. Some days I was fine, but other days it was horrible. It’s human nature to want to be with someone physically. It’s how we’re wired -it’s just who we are.

While I didnt have him to hug and hold, there was something that I did have that made a huge difference in our relationship. His voice.

A voice is a really powerful thing. It’s not really a tangible, touchable thing but somehow it still has an element to it that could be described as being physical.

A persons voice can wrap you up the way arms do when you hug. It can comfort you when you’re sad. It can give you that boost you really needed when you were really really doubting yourself. In a long distance relationship, your voices are the most tangible things you have and you should really take advantage of that.

Now you might be thinking, “Well, what can I do with my voice outside of calling someone? That’s not very romantic.” Well you can just keep on reading, because I am about to give you 10 great ways to make better use of your voice in a long distance relationship.

1-12669362783yHM1. Singing

Maybe you’ve heard this idea before. I can tell you why -because it is very romantic and it works!

Singing is one of the most natural ways to tell someone you love them, short of just outrightly saying it. Think about it: when you can’t find the words that express just how deeply you feel for them you can find a song that conveys it just right and in a beautiful way.

It’s really like cheating, except no one thinks of it in that way. It’s more about the meaning behind it.

You can sing to your s/o in several different ways:

  • Sing Karaoke together
  • Sing a personal song that you’ve written
  • Sing while playing an instrument
  • Sing to them over the phone
  • Serenade them when you visit or meet

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1-1260284058j7TJ2. Voip & Webcam

Voice over internet services let you talk to your s/o over the internet for free. So if you both find it hard or expensive to communicate with one another by other means -go this route.

That way, you can make the most of your voices just by simply being able to talk to one another. It’s a really magical thing to hear the voice of someone you love for the very first time -or for the first time in a very long time.

Using webcam services like Skype and Google Hangouts Will add something really extra to your “phone calls” -a somewhat physical element.

Human language is so much more than just our voices. It’s facial cues and expressions and weird little things we do with our noses when we say “potato.”

Investing in a web cam and using services like these will add so much depth to your verbal communication with each other. It is literally the closest thing to having them in the same room. The value of this can’t be expressed enough.

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1-12511377836kbg3. Phone calls

Every long distance relationship knows the perils of telephone calls. There’s so much that can go wrong. Dropped calls, missed calls, trying to time and schedule things so that you actually can talk. And of course the fact that all you really CAN do is talk can be quite daunting

I recently talked to someone on Reddit who said he and his girlfriend were having trouble with their phonecalls. It just got to the point where it was monotonous and they had talked about everything.

If phone calls are your primary form of communication, then thats definitely not something that you want to let fade into boring nothingness. You want to keep your relationship thriving, not strangle it with boredom and monotomony.

Here are the tips I gave for maximizing your voice time on the phone with your s/o:

  • Compile a list of things to talk about.

Don’t think up the ordinary questions like ‘whats your favorite color’ or anything like that. Go into territory that that you would never usually go into. Talk about rhetorical things, stupid things, things that you would be embarrassed to tell them face to face. It will put a special kind of “thrill” back into your talks and your relationship.

  • Play phone games.

This is honestly more fun than it sounds. You wouldn’t believe how fun a simple little word game can become when you’re playing it with the person you love. Sometimes it can even strike up a new conversation. To some people this may sound childish, or.. such a small thing. But when you really care for someone nothing is too childish or to small to try to boost or save what you have between you.

  • Browse the web together

If you both have access to a computer and can be online at the same time, get on the phone and browse it together. It’s a lot of fun and you can browse any place on the web together that way.

  • Be romantic

Take some time out to be romantic. And no I don’t mean the exchanging of a thousand “I miss yous”. I mean really take some time to be sentimental, to pour your heart out to one another. It might be mushy for some, but for many it can be just the thing to spark a special connection between you.

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message-for-you-24. voice messages

There’s nothing better than getting an unexpected voice message from the person you love. For couples who live in different time-zones -this can be the best thing ever! You can save them and listen to them over and over. Some smart phones even let you move the voice messages to a computer, which I personally think is super neat!

Voice messages are pretty straightforward and there’s no “live” person on the other end so saying those extra special words might be a little less unnerving for you.

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old-teddy-bear-1352392169HQ15. Talking stuffed animals

They won’t see this one coming! Talking stuffed animals are such a 90s thing to do, but I can garauntee that it will put a smile on your s/o’s face. Nobody does stuff like this anymore -so your gift will be special.

The voice-box on that thing will probably get worn out really quickly, so if you’re mailing this to them it might be wise to include extra batteries.

Here’s three websites I could find that allow you to create a stuffed toy with your voice:

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1-1269259741iYLP6. A video message, or a video with your voiceover

One of the easiest ways you can use your voice is to send a custom made video message to your loved one. All you need is a webcam or a video enabled smartphone.

You can make a straight video file in something like windows movie maker, or you can record a personal message from your phone straight to youtube.

Skype also has a new Video Messaging feature that allows you to leave a video voicemail when one of your contacts is away. iPhone has a feature that enables you to send straight video to any of your contacts, while android phones also have a smiliar feature -so there’s always those options.

If you and your s/o aren’t able to have a live webcam session, sending a prereorded video message every so often can really help bring that “physical” element into your relationship

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audio-cassette7. A Playlist or CD of songs

Everyone should know what a mixtape is. During their hey-day, mixtapes were one of the most romantic things you could do for someone.

Technology has kind of eliminated the need for mix tapes -we can get, share and download music from almost anywhere it seems. But there is still something sentimental about compiling a list of songs that remind you of the person you love.

Nowadays you can create a “mix tape” online and send it via email. It’s pretty easy.

But let’s make it special. How about instead of just compiling a playlist of romantic songs, include your voice in the mix! Before each song include a short spoken message explaining why that song reminds you of them.

They will really treasure the effort you put into it, I promise.

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message-for-you8. Make your voice her ringtone

This is a really cool idea, but not all couples will be willing to do. It depends on your personality and what you’re comfortable with.

But there’s nothing more exciting than hearing your sweetheart before you ever pick up the phone. Or maybe even each time you get a text.

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book-textbook9. Create a talking card or Book

Talking cards are some of the coolest things ever. While the idea of them is pretty dated, sometimes it’s nice to step outside of modern technology to express your affections.

There are places online where you can order talking greeting cards that you can record a message into and even books that will read themselves to your recipient in your voice.

No one gives gifts like these anymore, so if you’re looking for a simple and unexpected way to pleasantly surprise someone -this is the way to go.

Those are my ideas! Tell us what you think of them and if they were useful to you!