It is times like these when I wish that I lived out in the middle of nowhere so I could climb a mountaintop, take in a deep breath and just scream at the top of my lungs.

Going through the emotional aspects of a divorce is one thing, but the financial and legal aspect of it all — co-owned houses, co-signed loans, etc. — is just downright frustrating.

I have to give kudos to those women who have children and are divorced or are soon to be divorced and, as a result, must still deal with the ex, face custody battles and so on. I can't even imagine the pain and frustration that causes.

It has been more than a year that I've been dealing with the financial details of my divorce, and now it looks like it will be at least another four months until it is all over. And, to make things worse, I will not come out of it unscathed. At this point, it seems pretty certain that — thanks to him — my once-flawless credit will be ruined for a few years until I can build it back up.

Ever since I was old enough to have a job and a credit card, I have done my best to do everything right. I did my best to be responsible and paid everything on time and my credit score reflected that. Now, thanks to a selfish ex, none of that matters. He has flushed my credibility down the drain.

Each day I battle feelings of failure and vulnerability. I just want my life back — my life before I ever met my ex.