How do I (23M) support my girlfriend (23F) better in a long distance relationship of 6 months?

My girlfriend and I have been together for 6 months. Recently she told me she feels emotionally unsupported and like she has to be the dominant one in the relationship. She said she wants me to reassure her more, take initiative, and not wait for instructions when she’s stressed (especially around job hunting)

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Looking back, I do notice I often respond with apologies, reassurance, and asking how I can help instead of stepping in more proactively

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At the same time, I’m struggling to understand how to be more proactive without assuming what she wants or acting in ways she doesn’t want

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For example, with job hunting I tried searching online, suggesting ideas, and offering practical help, but she felt I wasn’t understanding her situation and that I should’ve acted without asking. She doesn’t trust a lot of online listings because of scams, and some of my ideas weren’t realistic options for her situation. When I ran out of ideas, I tried joking to lighten the mood and she got the impression I wasn’t taking it seriously and stopped talking with me for the night

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Another example: recently she was researching visas and got discouraged after hearing the process could take years and be expensive. I asked around, did some research, and found an immigration center about 2 hours away from me and offered to email them. She told me to leave it because it’s something that has to be done in person and she wanted to handle it herself, so I respected that and didn’t push because I didn’t want to argue and I was already overwhelmed with some personal issues at the time. Because of work, I also couldn’t realistically take time off and go there in person. The next day I emailed them anyway and shared what they told me, but she brushed it off because she was still upset. Later she told me she felt like she had to be “the man” in the relationship and wanted me to show more initiative and make her feel like we’re facing things together

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One thing I should probably mention is that this is my first relationship and I’m still figuring out how relationships work. I’m also a very emotional person and I tend to overthink a lot I’m trying to improve because I don’t want my overthinking to turn into passiveness or make her feel unsupported

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How do you balance being emotionally proactive without becoming controlling or assuming what your partner wants? What concrete actions make your partner feel supported instead of just heard?

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I’m looking for honest feedback on my communication and what I can improve

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TL;DR: My girlfriend feels I don’t take enough initiative or emotional leadership in our LDR. I try to help but often default to asking what she needs or over-apologizing. I’m unsure how to be more proactive without assuming wrong or overstepping, and I want advice on how to improve my communication