Nobody chooses a long distance relationship as their first preference.

There, we said it! The ultimate truth. No one chooses to fall in love only to end up miles away from their partner for days, months, or even years. Yet, people still do it. Those who do often find themselves pondering the same question: Are long distance relationships worth it?

Love, which in the initial stages of a relationship can often be more infatuation than deep affection, might compel you to take that leap.

If you find yourself on the verge of taking that leap, we’ve curated a list of pros and cons of long distance relationships.

What is the Bare Minimum in a Long Distance Relationship?

If you’ve landed on this page, you likely find yourself in one of two situations:

a) You are infatuated with someone who lives in a different city, state, or even country, and you want to make sure you’re not getting catfished, or;

b) You were already in a relationship, but circumstances require that you or your partner move to another city, state, or even country, leaving you to wonder whether to continue the relationship.

In either case, it’s completely valid to ask yourself the pivotal question: ‘Are long distance relationships worth it?’ After all, long-distance relationships demand a unique level of commitment and effort to succeed.

Well, if you’ve made it this far, then we believe you’re ready to give it a shot! Let us unveil five basic needs of a long-distance relationship—these are the bare minimum for you to get started.

1. Consistent Communication

The key to a healthy relationship, no matter the type, is consistent communication. However, in long-distance relationships, it serves as the pillar of your connection.

Why is it so? Without clear communication, you’ll find yourself making assumptions. You might constantly wonder, ‘Why aren’t they answering my call? What are they doing all day? Do they even care about me?’

It’s vital not only to communicate with your long-distance partner but also to develop your comprehension skills. For instance, if your partner shares why they are insecure about certain things, don’t just take a simple explanation—ask them where the insecurities are coming from. Understanding their perspective helps you empathize more deeply, which strengthens your bond.

So, if you’re asking yourself, ‘are long distance relationships worth it?’, also ask if you’re ready to increase your communication and comprehension efforts by perhaps 50 times or more.

2. Trust and Honesty

Trust and honesty are the only things that can make or break your long-distance relationship. In a long-distance relationship, you need to trust your partner and steer clear of suspicion. If you have a tendency to doubt every move your partner makes, then long-distance relationships are not for you.

Similarly, if you can’t be honest and transparent in your dealings, there is no way you can survive a long-distance relationship.

Still wondering if long distance relationships worth it? Just ask yourself if trust and honesty are your cup of tea!

3. Mutual Effort

Like any other relationship, a long-distance relationship also requires consistent effort. However, these efforts should not be a solo endeavor.

Both of you need to invest equally in maintaining the relationship. This includes making time for each other, coming up with creative date ideas, keeping things spicy, planning future visits, and being supportive from afar.

So, instead of continually asking yourself, ‘Are long distance relationships worth it?’ be ready to put in the effort and make it work! Commitment from both sides can turn the challenges of distance into opportunities for strengthening your bond.

4. Flexibility and Patience

Imagine you plan a cozy virtual movie date night with your beau, all snuggled up in a blanket, and suddenly your WiFi fails.

Or imagine you’re on a metro having a video call with them, and the mobile signal is so patchy that all you do throughout the call is repeatedly ask if they can hear you.

These are some of the trivial challenges you’ll face in modern-day long-distance relationships. Apart from these, there are differences in time zones, coordinating schedules for calls, and more.

All of these challenges are often inevitable in a long-distance relationship, which is why a lot of patience and flexibility to adapt are required from your end.

Having said that, if you ask us whether long distance relationships worth it, we’ll say 100% yes! But it’s you who we are talking about, so you decide if you can have a lot of patience and flexibility to be in, or continue being in, a long-distance relationship with that person.

5. A Long-Term Plan

For most couples, a long distance relationship isn’t meant to be the finish line; it’s just a step along the way. That’s why it’s so important to have a clear, long-term plan to eventually close the gap. This gives you both something to look forward to and keeps the motivation alive when the miles between you feel like they’re stretching even further.

So, when you’re stepping into a long-distance relationship, leave any illusions at the door and set clear expectations right from the start.

Are Long Distance Relationships Worth it, You Ask? 24 Pros & Cons for You!

Reflect on these pros and cons of long distance relationships to determine if you’re really ready to make this commitment or not.

Pros of Long Distance Relationships

Long distance relationships come with many advantages compared to conventional relationships. Some of them are:

1. Since you are not physically together, long distance relationships allow you to become more emotionally connected.
2. Being in a long distance relationship can help you build a relationship on a foundation of trust. Overcoming trust challenges can give you an amount of peace that you can’t even imagine!
3. When you don’t see each other regularly, every little moment together becomes special.
4. In a long-distance relationship, your perseverance can reach sky-high levels. This helps you become more focused on achieving your personal goals.
5. You’ll have plenty of space for yourself.
6. Your life will become more flexible since you don’t have to synchronize plans with your partner.
7. You get more reasons to travel since you’ll frequently visit your partner.
8. In a long-distance relationship, you may fight less since you aren’t around each other all the time.
9. You become more passionate as living apart makes you crave each other constantly.
10. Since you don’t see each other as often as you would like, you’ll value their presence more whenever they’re around.
11. Your communication and comprehension skills will become stronger.
12. As you navigate the physical challenges of a long-distance relationship, you unknowingly become stronger emotionally and mentally.

Cons of Long Distance Relationships

There are several disadvantages to long distance relationships, including:

1. It may feel lonely at times.
2. You may feel tempted to step out of the relationship to fulfill your physical needs.
3. Insecurity and feelings of jealousy can creep in and even break the relationship if not handled properly.
4. You may find a long-distance relationship more expensive since you need to travel frequently to see each other.
5. If you don’t work on your communication and comprehension skills, long-distance relationships may not work for you. Since you have to communicate through texts and calls only, sometimes it gets difficult to decipher true feelings and emotions.
6. Different time zones and schedules may prevent effective communication.
7. You may grow apart as you lead different lives where your partner is not involved much.
8. It may be difficult to achieve physical or sexual intimacy since most of the time you are not physically present with each other.
9. One of you has to move to the other person’s place (either before or after marriage). If you can’t commit to something like that, then a long-distance relationship isn’t for you.
10. Long-distance relationships require more effort than conventional relationships, which may be difficult for some people.
11. Whenever you meet your long-distance partner, you may feel a sense of pressure to make each moment special since it’s a limited time together, leading to not being able to enjoy the time together.
12. Their absence may be particularly hard during difficult or extremely happy times.

The Bottom Line

So, these were the 24 pros and cons of long distance relationships from us!

The bottom line is that every relationship comes with its own set of challenges. The question of whether long distance relationships worth it depends on your willingness to navigate the distance, emotionally and physically, for the sake of love.

After reading this blog, what do you think—are long distance relationships worth it? Share your thoughts in the comments below! We’d love to hear from you.