Take the example of a couple that has been living together in the same house. They have never had anything dramatic, a betrayal, a crisis, or a defining argument. But one of the partners is experiencing unspoken but nagging dissatisfaction. It is not one thing. It is the dishes left again, the plan made without consultation, the emotional labour carried invisibly for years. Each case, separately, is too small to raise. Together, they have formed a wall. This essay will discuss micro-resentments, small and unaddressed grievances in long-term relationships, as predictors of relational dissatisfaction. It draws upon communication research and relational psychology to suggest that it is not dramatic conflict, but the progressive build-up of small, unrecognised tensions that is most dependable in reducing the quality of relationships. Read More: Why Some People Struggle More in Relationships Defining Micro-Resentments Micro-resentment is yet to receive a formal diagnostic status in the…