We each tend to feel like we're the only one in the world who's going through a particularly unpleasant situation. You're not.

For a little perspective, here's a partial list of some of those who have gone through a bankruptcy. Reflecting on others who have been down the same road may ease your tensions somewhat. At least it makes for interesting reading.

Thomas Jefferson: Third President of the United States.
See The 14 Myths of Bankruptcy, number 8.

Abraham Lincoln: Sixteenth President of the United States.
Honest Abe Lincoln opened a store in New Salem, Illinois, but when the economy fell off he had to close up shop and could not pay back his bank loan.

Ulysses S. Grant: Eighteenth President of the United States.
A shady business partner lost Grant's entire fortune in an early Ponzi scheme. Mark Twain helped Grant write his memoirs so that Grant's family would not be destitute when he died.

Daniel Boone: American Frontiersman.
Borrowing to fund fur-hunting expeditions, Boone often came back empty-handed, sometimes because he had to trade his catch to unfriendly Indians to save his life.

Mark Twain: American Author.
Twain escaped to Europe for 9 years to avoid creditors before finally returning to the States to file bankruptcy. A failed typewriter invention was the prime reason.

Frank Lloyd Wright: America's Premier Architect.
Wright was thrown into the street when his home was foreclosed on. He brushed himself off, and then went on to produce most of his greatest works.

Jerry Lewis: Comedian/Telethon Host.

Burt Reynolds: Movie Star.
Po' Folks restaurants, a bad investment, cost Reynolds' his fortune.

Larry King: CNN Talk Show Host.
Before he hit it big in radio and TV, King got his fresh start.

MC Hammer: Grammy Award-Winning Rapper.

Wayne Newton: Las Vegas Superstar.
Newton's luck soured when Pennsylvania refused to allow gaming at his new casino.

Kim Basinger: Actress.

Debbie Reynolds: Actress.
Reynolds opened a casino/hotel, but could not make a go of it.

Mike Tyson: Heavyweight Boxing Champion.

Mick Fleetwood: Leader of Fleetwood Mac.

Charles Goodyear: Invented Usable Rubber.
While in debtors' prison, Goodyear experimented with rubber compounds, and found a successful mix, but later lost his fortune and went bankrupt again due to poor patent protection.

Francis Ford Coppola: Film Director.
Coppola's artistic vision fit poorly into his budget, so he put personal money into some of his films and ended up in Bankruptcy Court when the debt got out of hand.

Henry Ford: Founded Ford Motors.
Before he discovered the power of the assembly line, Ford's repeated attempts to start an automaker resulted in personal bankruptcy.

H.J. Heinz: Founded Heinz Company.
Heinz' pickle business was a flop due to over-investment and a bad economy, but after filing bankruptcy he came up with another idea that made him rich: ketchup.

Conrad Hilton: Founded Hilton Hotels.
Hilton was in great debt when the Depression hit and lost all his hotels. But the banks who took them over could not figure out how to run them correctly, so they hired him back and gave him 1/3 interest to operate them. He eventually bought all 8 hotels back. Since then he has built a few more.

And many, many more, too numerous to list. So take it easy on yourself, you're not alone.