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The Pros and Cons of Moving Long Distance

Long Distance

Are you thinking about moving across the country? Do you dream about turning a fresh page, reinventing yourself or restarting your career? Moving long distance can be an amazing way to do all that, but it is not a decision to be taken lightly. Let’s look at some of the pros and cons of making such a considerable move:

Pros:

  1. Personal Growth

    When you take on a long distance move, you are opening yourself up to a world of change. Starting a new life in an unfamiliar place, away from your tried and tested safety nets, you will come to know yourself deeply. While the risks may be great, so are the rewards, and often a drastic change in address will spark more changes in other areas of your life. You don’t have to be a thrill-seeker to appreciate this opportunity to get out of the rut. You just need to remember that life is short and the world is wide and wondrous.

  1. Career Opportunities

    Speaking of getting out of the rut, discovering new employment markets can do a lot for your career. You may find yourself exploring new professional avenues, experimenting with unlikely job choices or turning your passion into a source of income. This is especially true if you feel your current situation is somewhat of a professional cul-de-sac.

  1. Broader Horizons

    Moving cross-country affords you the opportunity to really get to know a place that is probably very different to everything you’ve ever known. Not only is that interesting, but it is also a humbling, mind-expanding experience which will make you worldlier and more sophisticated. If life were a school (which in some ways, it is) this would be a bit like the student exchange program.

  1. New Network

    A city is ultimately just a city. What’s really important about moving is the new people you will meet, the friendships you will forge and the impact they will have on your life. Opening up to new connections could be a huge life changer.

  1. Out with the Old

    Moving is a great opportunity to purge and get rid of unnecessary baggage, and we don’t just mean your worldly possessions. Bad habits, toxic friends and other mental burdens don’t need to be schlepped across the country with you. Running away from your problems isn’t always the best strategy, but in some cases- it works.

Cons:

  1. Distance from Friends and Family

    For most people, missing loved ones is the hardest part of moving long distance. Unpacking without the help of friends isn’t easy, and you can forget about a housewarming party. Indeed this is the age of social media and constant connection, but sometimes you just need your friends to be there, physically, by your side.

  1. Uprooting children

    Children face different challenges when their family relocates, and sometimes these challenges can be quite serious. Uprooting your kids means that they need to adjust to a new school, prove themselves to new teachers and find their place socially in a new setting. Quite a tall order for a young kid.

  1. Culture shock and Fitting In

    Finding new friends in unfamiliar territory can be difficult. Add to that a touch of culture shock and you can easily find yourself feeling more like a visitor from another planet than another state. Whether it’s that local slang everybody uses and you don’t understand or the way you mispronounce street names that makes people snicker, it can make you feel like a total stranger who might never fit in.

  1. Stress

    Moving is stressful. No need to elaborate, right? It is so stressful it has been famously compared to the death of a loved one and divorce. And the farther away you move, the higher tensions rise. Fortunately, professional long distance moving companies can significantly reduce the stress of moving. After all, it’s not like you can just swing by to pick up something you left behind.

  1. Cost of Moving

    Moving isn’t cheap, and the costs may get higher the farther you move. With the right movers it should be reasonably affordable but still, it will cost you more than staying put.

  1. Practicalities and Bureaucracy

    Part of settling into a new city is finding new EVERYTHING. We’re not talking about the obvious home or job. We’re talking about a new doctor, dentist, hairstylist, nail salon, vet, mechanic, babysitter, Chinese take-out (or another international cuisine of choice), legal and financial advisors, grocery store and gym. Not to mention the joys of replacing driver’s licenses and IDs.

Still not sure? Some of the pros on this list can be attained with local moving, which also has fewer cons, keeps you near your friends and costs less. whichever way you decide to move, it is always great to launch a new chapter in life and open up to new beginnings and possibilities.

Any pros or cons we missed? Tell us in the comments!

About the author

Unpakt Team