Chris Martin was "hard to live with" before he split from Gwyneth Paltrow.
The former couple - who have children Apple, nine, and Moses, eight, together - split last month after 10 years of marriage, and insiders claim the Coldplay frontman's insecurity caused a lot of their problems.
A source told Britain's Grazia magazine: "Chris is very tough on himself and that can be hard to live with. There was a time a few years ago when there were a lot of fights.
"He and Gwyneth had a great life but it was like he couldn't quite see it and couldn't commit to it. There were other issues that sparked off that and, ultimately, they ended up leading very different, very separate lives."
Now they have gone their separate ways, Chris and Gwyneth both want the best for one another.
The source added: "They have both given each other their blessing to move on. I think they both want each other to find love and happiness."
The 'Magic' singer recently admitted his own "issues" had stopped him from being happy.
He said: "If you can't open yourself up, you can't appreciate the wonder inside. So you can be with someone very wonderful, but because of your own issues you cannot let that be celebrated in the right way....
"About two years ago I was a mess really because I can't enjoy the thing that we are good at and I can't enjoy the great things around me because I'm burdened by this - I've got to not blame anyone else and make some changes."

Courtney Love says the 20-year anniversary of Kurt Cobain's death has been "deep".
The Hole singer met up with her late spouse's former Nirvana bandmates Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic as the band were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at Brooklyn's Barclays Center recently, one of their first meetings in years, and she found it "cathartic" to see them so long after her husband committed suicide.
She explained: "The recent 20-year stuff has been really deep.
"Its been really good, though. I hadn't seen Krist [Novoselic, Nirvana bassist] or Dave [Grohl] for 20 years! We were supposed to have meetings every month, but they never happened. I think we had a phone call once in, like, 1997! Seeing them was cathartic and really lovely."
Courtney admits the bitterness between them has fizzled out and she is glad they're have a better relationship now.
She told Kerrang! magazine: "It's amazing that we could take two decades of slagging each other to the most extreme degrees and be done with it in one night.
"I think Dave's a class act, I think I'm a class act and I think Krist is a class act. It's a testament to the memory."

Carey Mulligan loves working in London.
The 28-year-old star - who is married to musician Marcus Mumford - has returned to her hometown to film her new movie 'Suffragette' with Meryl Streep, and to star alongside Bill Nighy in 'Skylight' and she's confessed it's refreshing to see her family after a long day on set.
She said: "I'm really happy to do something in London. And to go home to my house every night, and see my friends and family, and have people who never usually get to see me on stage see it. There's something about doing it in a hometown that feels a bit special."
The 'Inside Llewyn Davies' actress - who has starred alongside heartthrobs Ryan Gosling in 'Drive' and Leonardo DiCaprio in 'The Great Gatsby' - is excited to make her return to the stage after seven years in such a beautiful theatre.
Quizzed on what she thinks of the theatre where 'Skylight' will open next month, she told Britain's Vogue magazine: "It's one of those places that's so magical. The Wyndham is the kind of theatre that just speaks to the seven-year-old girl in me. I imagine there'll be light bulbs around the mirrors in our dressing room."

The Vamps drummer Tristan Evans says streaking is a "daily occurrence".
The 'Wildheart' singer says he regularly strips down to the nude for shower trips in front of his bandmates, Bradley Simpson and James McVey, however Connor Ball is more likely to bare all in public as he has a "better body."
Tristan exclusively told BANG Showbiz: "It's probably more James actually because he has the better body. I will get naked eventually. I think it's a daily occurrence, I think last time, Brad was the one who got pretty naked. We're comfortable with our personalities and bodies and, you know, we just have a good time."
Despite baring their bottoms, the 19-year-old popstar insists their manhoods are "always covered".
Meanwhile, Tristan recalled on the time he did have to get his manhood out to urinate in public in a desperate bid to relieve himself when there were no toilets available during their long coach journey on tour.
He explained: "[Once I had to pee] in the hedge outside the service station. The awkward thing was it was right next to a huge billboard advertisement so everyone was looking at the board and then looking to the left and there's a dude peeing in the hedge, it was really weird."

Katie Price still wants Kieran Hayler be at the birth of their child.
The former glamour model - who split from her husband earlier this week after finding out he had an affair with her best friend - is said to be scared about becoming a mother for the fifth time and she doesn't want to be alone when she gives birth to their second baby.
An insider told The Sun on Sunday newspaper: "Katie is terrified about the birth and despite everything that has gone on, still wants Kieran there.
"He's been a fool but it's still his child and she doesn't want to go through childbirth alone.
"Jett's birth was a traumatic experience so there's no chance she wants to go through that on her own."
According to reports, Katie found out about Kieran's affair with Jane Pountney after she saw them kissing on a beach, before getting confirmation after seeing a message on his phone saying: "Has she left yet? Can't wait to see you."
A source added: "Katie was furious about the kiss in Cape Verde on what was meant to be a romantic break for her and Kieran - their first with baby Jett.
"They fobbed her and [Jane's husband Derrick] off, claiming it was a drunken snog, but Katie didn't fall for it ... Then she saw the Whatsapp message on Tuesday - that's when she exploded.
"She was furious and knew immediately that the affair was long-term and sexual. She confronted Kieran who confessed all. She could have forgiven them for a kiss, but not for a full-blown affair."
Meanwhile, Jane's husband Derrick has reportedly asked Katie not to cash-in on on their heartbreak.
A friend told the Sunday Mirror newspaper: "Derrick has been begging Katie not to go ahead and speak out with more details about his wife and Kieran.
"He has already been left brokenhearted over the fat that news of the affair has come out.
"He understands Katie is angry but if she gives an interview it will cause more hurt for everybody involved in this torrid situation and certainly won't help rebuild their marriage."

George Clooney was "so close" to his pet pig he didn't want to have children, according to Elizabeth Daily.
The star's ex-girlfriend believes his change of heart with regards to love and marriage - having recently got engaged to Amal Alamuddin - has come after he finally got over the death of his swine Max.
Speaking to The Sun on Sunday newspaper, she said: "He didn't need children, Max was his baby. He loved that pig like nothing else. It was the size of a table, absolutely huge.
"I would just be hanging out round George's with giant pig chilling out beside us. It had its own special pen and at night it would sleep on the floor right besides George's bed. It got in that bed at times.
"They were so close it was like father and son. When Max died in 2006 he was really torn up. Maybe now there's no Max he'll start to feel the pangs of parenthood. That would be great for him."
The 'Monuments Men' star was also hurt by his divorce from Talia Balsam, with Elizabeth admitting she was delighted he was getting over his refusal to marry again.
She added: "He didn't want a child to get as hurt as the husband and wife had been by a divorce. George was devastated by his divorce ... He didn't cry about it to me or get upset, it was a very measured but firm decision - no to another marriage for him.
"I'm so shocked by also very happy and excited that he's ow found a woman worth going back on his word for - something George Clooney doesn't do much of.
"It really shows just how terribly in love he must be. It's great."

One Direction are filming a follow-up to their movie 'This Is Us'.
The superstar boy band are currently on their 'Where We Are' world tour, and it has been confirmed they are being recorded for a sequel.
Director Morgan Spurlock told the Daily Star Sunday newspaper: "Yes, there will be a follow-up to 'This Is Us'.
"At this moment Ben Winston is with the band on their world tour filming what happens. He worked with me and is a great producer."
The first movie missed out on the Oscar for Best Song, and Morgan has revealed Simon Cowell would love them to be given a prize this time round.
He added: "I know Simon Cowell wants the band to get awards for this and was upset when they missed out on being nominated in the music category for an Oscar on our film.
"It was a good song and I was surprised that they weren't even considered. This time he will want them to try again."
Meanwhile, The Who singer Roger Daltrey has admitted he "admires" the 'Story of My Life' hitmakers, joking he would like them more if he was a teenage girl.
Speaking to the Sunday Mirror newspaper: "I admire what they achieved.
"If I was a 16-year-old girl I would love them, but I'm not. They're nice guys."

Take That could be "victims" after getting caught up in a tax avoidance scam.
Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen put £66 million in an investment scheme which saw them sidestep huge amounts of money in tax, but an expert suggested they could simply have been "naive".
Rebus Group tax scheme expert Martin Taylor told The Sun on Sunday newspaper: "The alarm bells were already ringing by the time they invested.
"It's a complete mess for those caught up in it. There's no doubt it will hit their image. These are complex issues.
"People are naive and listen to their advisers. They can be victims, not just villains."
Meanwhile, it has been claimed the 'Greatest Day' hitmakers were "bamboozled" by being tricked into the scheme - which could see them pay HM Revenue & Customs £20 million.
An insider told the Sunday Mirror newspaper: "They guy in the band have worked too hard building a good reputation to let themselves become tangled up in anything they believed to be dodgy.
"They are asking serious questions about how their money became tied up in a scheme it's now clear was not all it seemed.
"Many investors feel they have been bamboozled into investing in something which they would never have become involved in if they had been told what they now know."

Drew Barrymore will "never let" her children act.
The 'Blended' star got her big break at the age of seven in 'E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial' and while she doesn't want to "totally shelter" her daughters Olive, eight months, and one-month-old Frankie, she wants to protect them from certain things.
She told the Mail on Sunday's You magazine: "I don't like the idea of young girls growing up with social media, because I know how sensitive they are. But there's no going back.
"If you totally shelter your kids, that's not normal, but I don't want mine to have mobile phones until a certain age.
"I will never let my children act. When they're 18, if they want to, but not before."
However, Drew is still extremely grateful for her success as a child star and thinks it gave her great stability - although she noted her daughters already have that through the actress and her husband Will Kopelman.
She said: "'E.T.' was the best thing that ever happened to me because it changed the course of my life. I didn't have family and home and structure, so the world of film gave me that framework.
"But it's different for my children. They are going to have everything they need.
"I can't wait to show them 'E.T.' and the 'Charlie's Angels' movies, so they can see girls having fun with each other and being capable, not competitive."

Kimberley Walsh made Cheryl Cole cry when she told her she was pregnant.
The mum-to-be is due to give birth later this year and her former Girls Aloud band mate got very emotional when she revealed the good news.
She told the Sunday Express magazine: "I expected Cheryl to cry when I told her I was expecting, and she did.
"We've been close for so long and talked about babies many times, so the fact that I was actually telling her was a big deal and her reaction was so cute.
"She's already offered to have the baby overnight and she says she's going to get herself a Moses basket. I was like, 'Hmmm, we'll see'. But Nicola [Roberts] and Sarah [Harding] are so excited too, and this baby is just going to be smothered with love."
Kimberley admitted she "started redecorating" before she and boyfriend Justin Scott even decided to have a baby, which mind her partner of 10 years realise it was definitely time.
She said: "We've already started redecorating. In fact I was doing that before I even got pregnant, so Justin was like, 'OK. You definitely need a baby. We'd better get on with it.'
"Luckily it didn't take very long to get pregnant, but I have nephews and many friends with babies so I know the rest of it's going to be tough.
"But I also know that the rewards are worth every minute of lost sleep."

Justin Bieber has been branded "stupid" for holding on to a moving van while out skateboarding.
The 20-year-old pop star stunned fans by posting a video on Instagram of him riding down a busy road in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, while grabbing onto the door of his blacked-out vehicle.
He's seen in the video wearing low-waisted trousers, sunglasses, a hooded jacket and boots and captioned it: "Ridin down fairfax lol had a great time (sic)", but some fans were less than impressed with his irresponsible actions.
One follower wrote underneath the video: "JUSTIN. Please be careful, this looks SO dangerous!! (sic)", while another added: "This is stupid. lol. You could get hurt J. (sic)"
Meanwhile, the star later posted a photograph of him relaxing in a cinema night with his friends as rumours continue to swirl about his love life and relationship with ex-girlfriend Selena Gomez, who sources say he still has feelings for.
An insider said: "Selena treated him like a regular person but all of these other girls treat him like a God and let him do whatever. I think they make Justin feel like he's in control and calling the shots."
Selena, 21, and Justin were last spotted at Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival last month in California but have since had a "huge fight" and he has been linked to a number of beauties, including Selena's friend Kylie Jenner and model Yovanna Ventura.

Dr. Dre is buying Gisele Bundchen and Tom Brady's $50million Los Angeles mansion.
The rapper and producer, who is in talks to sell his Beats Electronics business to Apple for a rumoured $3.2billion, has been busy looking for a new property and has his eye on the impressive custom-built home in Brentwood.
A source told the New York Post newspaper: "Dre put an offer on the mansion as soon as it came on the market, and is a few weeks away from closing."
Insiders claim the star made an offer near the $50million asking price for the 14,000-square-foot property, which boasts six bedrooms, a fully-equipped gym, library, infinity pool and even a moat and waterfall.
Gisele and Tom reportedly forked out $40 million over the space of four years to build their dream home but plan to relocate to Boston permanently, where they're busy constructing yet another massive 14,300 square-foot mansion over five acres of land.
The supermodel and NFL star - who have a four-year-old son, Benjamin, together - also recently splashed out on a $14million apartment in New York City.
Dre, 49, recently joked about the Forbes list of the richest stars in hip-hop, which placed him at number two behind Puff Daddy, saying: "They need to update the Forbes list. S**t just changed."
In a video which was posted on actor Tyrese Gibson's Facebook page, Dre added: "The first billionaire in hip-hop, right here from the motherf***king West Coast", before later deleting the post.