Kim Kardashian and Kanye West experienced a long, public journey as a couple and as parents to four children. They built a high-profile life together, filled with glamour and intense media scrutiny. However, after six years of marriage, their relationship reached a breaking point, and on February 19, 2021, Kim filed for divorce.
By November 29, 2022, the couple reached a settlement that marked the end of their marital union. Their split has been a subject of intense public interest, and many have wondered why two of the most famous figures in modern celebrity culture would choose to end their marriage.
At the heart of the divorce lies the truth that both Kim and Kanye experienced personal unhappiness and felt unfulfilled in their relationship. During an episode of “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” on June 3, 2021, Kim opened up about the emotional toll that her split from Kanye had taken on her.
In a moment of vulnerability, she revealed that she had been struggling privately with the challenges of their relationship. Her sister Khloé Kardashian, in a confessional, mentioned that Kim was redirecting much of her frustration, sadness, and anger away from her own feelings.
This statement highlighted that Kim had been battling internal conflicts for a long time. The pressure of a demanding relationship and the weight of public expectations left her feeling isolated in her own home.
Kim’s private struggles were further exposed in previously unaired footage, where she was seen crying to her sisters about her marriage. In that footage, Kim said, “I honestly can’t do this anymore. Why am I still in this, like, place where I’m stuck for years?” These words reveal the deep sense of being trapped in a situation that she no longer wanted.
She described the difficulties of maintaining a relationship where Kanye’s frequent moves and demands for her presence made her feel burdened. Kim expressed that Kanye moved from one state to another every year, leaving her feeling like she had to follow him constantly. This lifestyle, in which she had to be available for him in every location, was not something she could continue.
She acknowledged that while Kanye was an amazing father who did a great job with their children, the constant relocations and the pressure to adapt to his lifestyle were too much for her.
In a raw confession, Kim admitted that she felt like a failure for being in what she described as a third marriage. She had previously been married to Damon Thomas and Kris Humphries, and these past experiences made her question her own self-worth. When she said, “Yeah, I feel like a f*cking loser,” she was expressing deep personal pain and frustration.
This feeling of failure was compounded by the realization that her marriage with Kanye was not fulfilling her emotionally or personally. Kim wanted more than what her life had become; she longed for happiness and a sense of personal freedom. Her decision to file for divorce was driven by the need to reclaim her identity and find joy on her own terms.
Kim further detailed her feelings during the season finale of “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” on June 10, 2021. Speaking to Kris Jenner, she explained that she was not fully fulfilled by her marriage.
Kim expressed that she did not want a husband who lived in a different state, pointing to the challenges that came with a relationship defined by long-distance issues. She wanted a partner who shared similar interests—someone who could join her in everyday activities like working out together or watching the same shows.
These small, everyday details, which she considered essential to a happy life, were missing in her marriage. Kim’s vision of a fulfilling relationship did not match the reality of what she was experiencing with Kanye.
The pressures of living a life constantly in the spotlight also took a toll on Kim. As a reality TV star and a key figure in a famous family, she had to deal with public judgment and media scrutiny on a daily basis. This pressure added to the strain of an already challenging personal situation.
In her March 2022 cover story for Vogue, Kim shared that for so long she had done things to make other people happy. Over time, however, she reached a point where she decided to focus on making herself happy instead.
She said, “I decided, I’m going to make myself happy. And that feels really good.” This turning point marked her commitment to self-care and personal fulfillment, even if it meant making difficult choices like ending her marriage.
Kim’s journey toward self-fulfillment involved embracing her 40s as a time for personal growth. She declared that her focus would be on being “Team Me”—taking care of her physical and mental health, enjoying life, and spending more time with her children and loved ones.
She shared that she would choose to live a life that prioritized her happiness, even if that meant unfollowing negativity on social media or stepping away from relationships that no longer served her.
Kim’s honest reflections revealed that her divorce was not just about the differences between her and Kanye, but about her realization that her own happiness was paramount. Her decision to divorce was an act of self-respect and a step toward a life that aligned with her values.
In another episode of “The Kardashians” on Hulu, Kim addressed Kanye’s online attacks against her and her family. She expressed a deep desire to step away from the harmful narrative that had formed around her life.
Kim said, “I don’t want to be a part of this narrative and it’s like when is this ever going to end? It never will and I’m stuck with this for the rest of my life.”
This comment underscores the emotional exhaustion she felt from the ongoing public battles and the negativity that seemed to have no end. The constant public drama and criticism weighed heavily on her, further fueling her decision to end the marriage and protect herself and her family.
Kim also talked about the difficulty of watching someone she once loved change so drastically. She said, “Sometimes I feel like if he were to hit rock bottom, that’s his journey that he needs to figure out on his own.”
In the past, she had tried to be the one to rescue Kanye from his problems, often acting as the “cleanup crew” after his outbursts. Over time, however, she realized that she no longer had the energy to continuously support him or to fix the issues that had arisen between them. This realization played a key role in her decision to move forward with the divorce.
The relationship between Kim and Kanye had its share of high points as well. They first came together in the spring of 2012 and got engaged on Kim’s 33rd birthday in San Francisco.
