1. Your Communication Skills Will Become Next Level
When you have to figure out a way to keep in touch without taking physical part in someone else’s day, you have to get creative and stay flexible. Staying up later to Skype on a weeknight, or learning how to decipher what the other person means through a screen takes time and patience. You begin to understand how to find a balance to keep each other satisfied, without feeling like you need two hours to relay everything, or stifled because you haven’t talked in 3 days. Communication is crucial in these relationships, because the other person’s presence and physical touch are out of reach. Literally.
2. You Will Miss Them on Good Days and Bad Days
A lot of people think that long distance relationships are comprised of days spent in bed sobbing over how much they miss their partner. Not so! The truth is that, you will have days where you’re feeling beautiful in a dress, laughing while sipping a cocktail in a restaurant, with your best friends at your side, and feel a sudden pang in your chest. You will miss them when things are going good because you want to share it with them so much. You’re going to have amazing experiences with or without them, and on the days when things are perfect, you’ll wish they could be there to celebrate as much as on days when you just need someone to bring you soup and a hug.
3. Time Differences and Traveling Will Be Tough
You will check Expedia endlessly. TripAdvisor will be your new best friend. You’ll have your travel agent on speed dial. You’ll memorize every airline and become an expert on the best days to fly, and make 10 new friends at the airport during layovers. Although long distance relationships require a lot of time off and expenses in order to fly to where your partner is, they will be worth it! Every time you reunite, it’s like a mini vacation, where you can cozy up in a restaurant, discover secrets within their city, and have the best of both worlds: you’re a tourist, but also somehow, perfectly at home. Perhaps one day, you could even meet in between your respective cities, and travel to a new place together; one that’s entirely brand new. It’ll always be an adventure.
4. You Become More Open-Minded
Whether your partner lives in a different country, or a different city, you will become more open-minded and knowledgeable about the world. Perhaps you’ve never thought about visiting a certain place or eating certain foods, but because you live in different places in the world, there are bound to be differences. What’s beautiful is that you become adventurous as a person. Not only are you trying new things, but long distance forces you to be more adaptable and flexible. It’s tough to be far apart, but you learn about who you are as a person, and how strong you really are by going through tougher hurdles, and pushing yourself to figure out your priorities and boundaries.
5. You Develop Patience and Trust
You won’t know what the other person is up to all the time (and you shouldn’t), and it’s sometimes easy to be jealous of the ones that get to see them every day, when you have to do so much to spend a few days by their side. There are a lot of temptations in every relationship, and granted, being far apart makes people think that it’s easier to be disloyal because the other person would never be wise to your actions. In long distance relationships, you learn to trust the other person. You trust their decisions, and they trust yours. It’s a two-way street, and as long as both partners believe the other is using their good judgment and respecting their relationship, you will find it is easy to have peace of mind. As well, people in long distance relationships will develop a lot of patience. Waiting weeks or even months before you get to see the other person is arduous, but if you believe it is worth it, then that time will mean nothing at all. Have faith in what connects you, and believe that it will be enough.
6. There’s No Such Thing as “Too Cheesy”
You are going to miss out on events, special occasions, and holidays with one another. You’ll probably miss out on their birthday, or they won’t be able to fly to where you are for Valentine’s Day. Toasting a Skype screen with a glass of wine just feels a little awkward. The good thing about this is the fact that you will have creative and wonderful ways to surprise one another, and make the other feel loved. Handwritten letters, surprise bouquets delivered to their door, a song you play for them over Skype, or even cooking the same meal at the same time for a date; it all works! It doesn’t have to be a big gesture, but don’t be afraid to show them how you feel. But, you know, a surprise visit is always welcome!
Have you ever been in a long distance relationship? Let us know what you think is the best or worst part(s) in the comments below!
Image Source: http://nicholasjv.blogspot.ca/2011/06/long-distance-relationships.html