I [22m] want to help my GF [18] to make the right decision regarding closing the distance.

Listening to her crying on skype while she is not able to put her fears in words and her apologizing to me that "she is weak and scared, but she still loves me" breaks my heart so much - as we all know the pain of just wanting to hug the SO and we can't.

Oof, it hurt to read this. Fear should be a normal part of a lifestyle shift - we humans are creatures of habit, and even a little change to our routines can be quite unsettling - but crying and feeling weak sounds like a sign that she's not ready to make the decision yet. It might not be anything that you're doing either, it's completely possible that she's putting all this pressure on herself.

I think it's important that you support her, and not only whether or not she makes the decision to live with you, but also in her indecisiveness. Her attitude after making the decision should be like "Yes, this is what I'm doing with myself, I'm going to live like this", and even with some trepidation, or even a bit of regret, she'll want to forge onward.

You should absolutely share pictures of your apartment. Her asking of that is a sign that she wants to feel ready to make the decision. It's one step towards eliminating the unknown factor that she's afraid of. (And besides, I myself would never want to move anywhere without at least knowing what my living conditions will look like. That's just being a responsible adult.) You may also want to share some details about daily life in your area - what kind of amenities are nearby, how you get from place to place, average costs of living, things like that. But don't try to convince or influence her. You want to supply her with information that will help her make a decision herself, not an opinion that indicates the choice you want her to make.

/r/LongDistance Thread Parent