How did we get here? - Little things become big problems

We can't watch a tree grow or see how children change and learn on a daily basis. When things happen slowly, we just see the day to day and don't see the small increments that happen all the time. Go back and watch a video or look at some pictures of a child in your life even from just one year ago. They often barely seem like the same person.

This same thing happens with relationships. The really big problems that relationships face rarely just happen over night. Once a relationship or a marriage gets to a bad place, something has been ignored or swept under the rug for too long. Perhaps it's mutual communication that needs improvement. Perhaps you are taking each other for granted. Maybe there are intimacy issues. Perhaps there are external pressures on the relationship that neither of you is addressing, dealing with or seeking compromises on. All this adds up and one day you come to the realization that you are miserable.  

Don't ignore your inner voice. Don't let things fester in the hope that they will pass. Address the things that make you upset or concerned. It's not always easy to do but, there is a clear benefit to knowing that you and your partner both realize there is an issue. Without that, there can be no progress. When you commit to this level of openness you make it that much more difficult to wind up on that path to being disillusioned and dissatisfied with your relationships and your life.