Some breakups are like getting a Band-Aid ripped off — they happen quickly and seemingly out of nowhere. Others are a slow burn where pressure builds up until one big "final straw" moment ends things for good.
Perhaps you dated your high school sweetheart throughout college, but as you both approached your graduations, you began fighting more about the future. You were starting to feel like they didn't respect your wishes or your career endeavors. You stuck it out anyway, hoping they'd compromise. Then, they took a job four states away without consulting you and asked you to move with them and find a job in the same area. Once you realized they didn't respect your dreams, you ended the relationship.
Maybe you were living with a significant other, but felt more like their housekeeper than their partner. Though you both worked full-time, they expected you to cook, clean, and handle any errands or chores without so much as a thank you. One day, after showering, your partner dropped their wet towel on the floor and left it there for you to pick up. It sat there for hours and you stewed until finally you screamed and told them to pack their stuff and leave.
Or perhaps you were on-again-off-again with the same person for years, and though the situation wasn't ideal, you never found a reason to walk away. Then, while you were back on again, they threw themselves a big birthday party and invited all their friends and your mutual friends, but you didn't get an invite. It hurt your feelings, and instead of making a scene about it, you just quietly cut things off and never contacted them again.
