The Nice Parts of Being in a Long-Distance Relationship

A lot of people feel hesitant to pursue long-distance relationships because of the negative things associated with them. Difficult, draining, hard work, not worth it — the list practically goes on.

But no LDR couple will survive the setup if there are no good things in it.

Long-distance relationships also have benefits. After all, distance makes the heart grow fonder. It’s not always apparent, but distance may be the reason two people have become better individually and as a couple.

Here are some of the good sides of long-distance relationships you might want to reflect on.

You better value your moments together

When you’re apart most of the time, every chance you have together feels more special. Nothing is ever casual. You remember every detail of your time together — like the way you woke up that morning and their face was the first thing you saw.

You can’t afford to take little things for granted. Their smile, their laugh, their jokes, their touch — you value every single one of these. Every moment creates a memory you will treasure and look back on when you’re apart again.

You learn better time and money management

Long-distance relationships can be costly. If you’re yet ready to settle down in one place, you have to travel often to see each other. This may consume a lot of your savings and vacation leaves.

Whether you travel by car or plane, you will spend money. You have to manage your expenses well to afford monthly or quarterly vacations together. And you need to plan ahead so your schedules meet.

In time, and as the relationship progresses, you become better at budgeting and aligning your schedules. It’s another way of saying you become more responsible.

You have plenty of room for individual growth

Couples in an LDR setup have more time to pursue individual dreams and focus on their personal growth.

Instead of using your free time to dwell on things you can’t control, like distance, you use them to your advantage. You use it to discover more about yourself, focus on your interests and goals, and learn to handle things on your own.

You become more independent and rely less on your partner. LDR may not be the most ideal setup, but having that extra time for yourself to develop individual skills is one of its silver linings.

You become more creative

Keeping the flame alive while you’re oceans and mountains apart, sadly, requires a lot of work. But the good thing about it is you become creative in making each other feel loved and more secure.

You get to explore different ways to communicate. You don’t just text or call each other before bed. If you can eat together while on a video call, you will. Thanks to technology, LDR couples can now watch movies together, despite not being in the same place.

And when you’re together, you’re more motivated to think of more unique ideas on how to spend your time better and more memorable.

You develop a deeper emotional bond

Couples who have deeper emotional bonds prove to be stronger than those bound only by physical intimacy.

It takes a lot of courage and emotional strength not to be with your partner whenever you want. You develop patience and become more trusting. And you understand the true meaning of sacrifice and compromise just to keep the relationship strong.

While long-distance relationships aren’t for everyone, they certainly work for those who are willing to make it work. It takes a brave and strongly committed couple to see its good parts.

This story was originally published on Medium: The Nice Parts of Being in a Long-Distance Relationship