--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is always the little things that build…" description: "\"“It is always the little things that build up. Often there is no dramatic reason for discontent in marriages. It seeps in slowly over the years. You do..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d18/preeti-shenoy-24292_little-things_it-is-always-the-little-things-that-buil_1893872.jpg" --- # It is always the little things that build up. Often there… ![“It is always the little things that build up. Often there is no dramatic reason for discontent in marriages. It seeps in slowly over the years. You don't even notice it creeping in. It happens, trickle by trickle. You do not realise when or how the easy familiarity gets replaced by a…” quote by Preeti Shenoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d18/preeti-shenoy-24292_little-things_it-is-always-the-little-things-that-buil_1893872.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d18/preeti-shenoy-24292_little-things_it-is-always-the-little-things-that-buil_1893872.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d18/preeti-shenoy-24292_little-things_it-is-always-the-little-things-that-buil_1893872.jpg) > ““It is always the little things that build up. Often there is no dramatic reason for discontent in marriages. It seeps in slowly over the years. You don't even notice it creeping in. It happens, trickle by trickle. You do not realise when or how the easy familiarity gets replaced by a 'taken-for-granted' attitude over the years. By the time you do, it is often late. Habits have been formed, patterns have been set. And a comfort-zone have been established. A zone that is hard to get out of.”” [Preeti Shenoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preeti-shenoy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Small, unnoticed habits and complacency erode marital satisfaction over time, leading to a taken‑for‑granted attitude that is hard to reverse. **In simple terms:** Little habits can damage a marriage. Key Takeaway Address small issues early. Themes marriage habits complacency communication relationshipmaintenance Mood reflective concerned hopeful Type advice relationship psychological When to use this quote - couples counseling - daily check‑ins - expressing appreciation - setting boundaries - revisiting shared goals Key Concepts psychology behavioral patterns emotional inertia Questions to Reflect On - What tiny habit could you change today? - How can you keep appreciation alive in routine? A Different Perspective Even with awareness, breaking long‑standing patterns can be emotionally painful and meet. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Discontent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discontent/) [Discontent Marriages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discontent-marriages-2753395/) [Habits Formed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits-formed-1883641/) [Little things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-things/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [Marriages Seeps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriages-seeps-2753396/) [Philosophy of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-life/) [Reason Discontent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason-discontent-2753397/) ## Related quotes > [So much of what we do every single day is the result of habits that we have formed over time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/so-much-of-what-we-do-every-single-day-is-the-result-of-habits-that/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [Tension is a habit. Relaxing is a habit. Bad habits can be broken, good habits formed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/tension-is-a-habit-relaxing-is-a-habit-bad-habits-can-be-broken-good/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [Good habits formed at youth make all the difference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/good-habits-formed-at-youth-make-all-the-difference/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [The simplest principles become difficult of practice, when habits, formed in error, have been fixed by time, and the simplest truths hard to receive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-wright/the-simplest-principles-become-difficult-of-practice-when-habits/) [Frances Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-wright/) > [ “A 2010 study found that some habits can be formed in a matter of weeks while others can take more than five months.\[xxxix\] The… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nir-eyal/a-2010-study-found-that-some-habits-can-be-formed-in-a-matter-of/) [Nir Eyal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nir-eyal/) > [Keep the town for occasions, but the habits should be formed in retirement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/keep-the-town-for-occasions-but-the-habits-should-be-formed-in/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [When young men are beginning life, the most important period, it is often said, is that in which their habits are formed. That is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/when-young-men-are-beginning-life-the-most-important-period-it-is/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [The habit of virtue cannot be formed in a closet. Habits are formed by acts of reason in a persevering struggle through temptation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-gilpin/the-habit-of-virtue-cannot-be-formed-in-a-closet-habits-are-formed-by/) [Bernard Gilpin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-gilpin/) > [When young men or women are beginning life, the most important period, it is often said, is that in which their habits are formed.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/when-young-men-or-women-are-beginning-life-the-most-important-period/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Habits are formed, not at one stroke, but gradually and insensibly; so that, unless vigilant care be employed, a great change may come over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-whately/habits-are-formed-not-at-one-stroke-but-gradually-and-insensibly-so/) [Richard Whately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-whately/) > [Habits are formed by the repetition of particular acts. They are strengthened by an increase in the number of repeated acts. Habits are also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-adler/habits-are-formed-by-the-repetition-of-particular-acts-they-are/) [Mortimer Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mortimer-adler/) > [“Keep burning the flame of discontent within you until you get the joy of satisfaction.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ghumakkad-agantuk-ram/keep-burning-the-flame-of-discontent-within-you-until-you-get-the-joy/) [Ghumakkad Agantuk Ram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ghumakkad-agantuk-ram/) > [“She was tired of the flaming thoughts of discontent that kept her awake at night.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-gaffney/she-was-tired-of-the-flaming-thoughts-of-discontent-that-kept-her/) [Virginia Gaffney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-gaffney/) > [For a successful revolution it is not enough that there is discontent. What is required is a profound and thorough conviction of the justice,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-r-ambedkar/for-a-successful-revolution-it-is-not-enough-that-there-is-discontent/) [B. R. Ambedkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-r-ambedkar/) > [A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/a-horse-a-horse-my-kingdom-for-a-horse/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) ## More by Preeti Shenoy > [“The world is indeed a better place when there is love, friendship, acceptance and hope. Powered by these you can indeed overcome anything including…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preeti-shenoy/the-world-is-indeed-a-better-place-when-there-is-love-friendship/) [Preeti Shenoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preeti-shenoy/) > [“Life was indeed unpredictable and it was true that it could take a sudden unexpected turn.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preeti-shenoy/life-was-indeed-unpredictable-and-it-was-true-that-it-could-take-a/) [Preeti Shenoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preeti-shenoy/) > [“Creativity is closely associated with bipolar disorder. This condition is unique . Many famous historical figures and artists have had this. Yet they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preeti-shenoy/creativity-is-closely-associated-with-bipolar-disorder-this-condition/) [Preeti Shenoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preeti-shenoy/) > [“There are those who look at things the way they are and ask why. I dream of things that never were and ask why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preeti-shenoy/there-are-those-who-look-at-things-the-way-they-are-and-ask-why-i/) [Preeti Shenoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preeti-shenoy/) > [“The path we plan for ourselves meanders in ways we can never imagine. Life never ceases to throw us googlies. It is how we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preeti-shenoy/the-path-we-plan-for-ourselves-meanders-in-ways-we-can-never-imagine/) [Preeti Shenoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preeti-shenoy/) > [“The feeling of a full stomach with completely satiated taste buds, a nice atmosphere and good company under a night sky is one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preeti-shenoy/the-feeling-of-a-full-stomach-with-completely-satiated-taste-buds-a/) [Preeti Shenoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preeti-shenoy/) > [“What matters is attitude and courage to really do what your heart tells you to.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preeti-shenoy/what-matters-is-attitude-and-courage-to-really-do-what-your-heart/) [Preeti Shenoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preeti-shenoy/) > [“Yesterday is but a dream and tomorrow is a vision, But today well lived can make every yesterday a dream of happiness and every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preeti-shenoy/yesterday-is-but-a-dream-and-tomorrow-is-a-vision-but-today-well/) [Preeti Shenoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preeti-shenoy/) > [“Physical pain is far easier to bear than mental agony.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preeti-shenoy/physical-pain-is-far-easier-to-bear-than-mental-agony/) [Preeti Shenoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preeti-shenoy/) > [“There are no buts and no ifs in life. Life is what you make it,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preeti-shenoy/there-are-no-buts-and-no-ifs-in-life-life-is-what-you-make-it/) [Preeti Shenoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preeti-shenoy/) > [“Never belittle love”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preeti-shenoy/never-belittle-love/) [Preeti Shenoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preeti-shenoy/) > [“you gravitate instinctively towards people you can relate to and then gradually over the months a bond develops.It”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preeti-shenoy/you-gravitate-instinctively-towards-people-you-can-relate-to-and-then/) [Preeti Shenoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preeti-shenoy/) > [“Everything you love is illegal, immoral or fattening,’ she”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preeti-shenoy/everything-you-love-is-illegal-immoral-or-fattening-she/) [Preeti Shenoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preeti-shenoy/) > [“This love, it is a funny thing. It can elevate you to the highest peak and plunge you to a bottomless pit. I”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preeti-shenoy/this-love-it-is-a-funny-thing-it-can-elevate-you-to-the-highest-peak/) [Preeti Shenoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preeti-shenoy/) > [“all great men keep diaries. It gives a sense of direction, it documents where your days went, and it serves as a tool for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preeti-shenoy/all-great-men-keep-diaries-it-gives-a-sense-of-direction-it-documents/) [Preeti Shenoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preeti-shenoy/) [Explore all 23 Preeti Shenoy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preeti-shenoy/) ## More Discontent quotes > [A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/a-horse-a-horse-my-kingdom-for-a-horse/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [For a successful revolution it is not enough that there is discontent. What is required is a profound and thorough conviction of the justice,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-r-ambedkar/for-a-successful-revolution-it-is-not-enough-that-there-is-discontent/) [B. R. Ambedkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-r-ambedkar/) > [“She was tired of the flaming thoughts of discontent that kept her awake at night.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-gaffney/she-was-tired-of-the-flaming-thoughts-of-discontent-that-kept-her/) [Virginia Gaffney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-gaffney/) > [The oppressed without hope are mysteriously quiet. When the conception of change is beyond the limits of the possible, there are no words to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-rowbotham/the-oppressed-without-hope-are-mysteriously-quiet-when-the-conception/) [Sheila Rowbotham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-rowbotham/) > [“Comparison with myself brings improvement, comparison with others brings discontent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-jamie-chung/comparison-with-myself-brings-improvement-comparison-with-others/) [Betty Jamie Chung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-jamie-chung/) > [I am profoundly in the D's - discouraged, depressed, disheartened, disgusted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-dunbar-nelson/i-am-profoundly-in-the-d-s-discouraged-depressed-disheartened/) [Alice Dunbar Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-dunbar-nelson/) > [Any writer worth his salt writes to please himself...It's a self-exploratory operation that is endless. An exorcism of not necessarily his demon, but of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/any-writer-worth-his-salt-writes-to-please-himself-it-s-a-self/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [While the principles of our Constitution give just latitude to inquiry, every citizen faithful to it will deem embodied expressions of discontent and open…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/while-the-principles-of-our-constitution-give-just-latitude-to/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“And since he was seeing more and more people who were unhappy for no apparent reason, he was becoming more and more tired, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-ois-lelord/and-since-he-was-seeing-more-and-more-people-who-were-unhappy-for-no/) [François Lelord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-ois-lelord/) > [You can spend your whole life complaining about how much you hate life or you can spend it finding new ways to love it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/you-can-spend-your-whole-life-complaining-about-how-much-you-hate/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [I grieve and dare not show my discontent, I love and yet am forced to seem to hate, I do, yet dare not say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-i/i-grieve-and-dare-not-show-my-discontent-i-love-and-yet-am-forced-to/) [Elizabeth I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-i/) > [Upon the profound discontent of the young in every country do I set my faith. I beg you, the young, to be discontented. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-s-buck/upon-the-profound-discontent-of-the-young-in-every-country-do-i-set/) [Pearl S. Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-s-buck/) > [Love is maintain'd by wealth: when all is spent, Adversity then breeds the discontent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-herrick/love-is-maintain-d-by-wealth-when-all-is-spent-adversity-then-breeds/) [Robert Herrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-herrick/) > [Everything becomes so problematic because of basic faults: from a discontent with myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-freud/everything-becomes-so-problematic-because-of-basic-faults-from-a/) [Anna Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-freud/) > [“One whisper, Judith, added to a thousand others will become a roar of discontent even”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-garwood/one-whisper-judith-added-to-a-thousand-others-will-become-a-roar-of/) [Julie Garwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-garwood/) [Browse all 450 Discontent quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discontent/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It is always the little things that build up. 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