Pop star Mel B is "very thankful" to have emerged from her rough 10-year marriage to Stephen Belafonte "alive, happy and healthy", insisting it was a big learning curve.
The Spice Girls star split from the producer last spring (17), and subsequently became involved in a nasty legal battle with her ex as she accused him of being verbally and physically abusive towards her - allegations he denied.
Their divorce was granted in December (17), but the former couple has continued to fight in court over a variety of issues, including custody, while Mel recently won a restraining order against Belafonte amid fears for her safety.
The singer and America's Got Talent judge is planning to reveal all about the love struggles she endured behind closed doors in a forthcoming memoir, and she promises it will be a juicy read.
"My story's kinda different, because I had a 10-year marriage with a different story (behind closed doors) and a different way of dealing with that (in public)," she told breakfast show Today on Tuesday (26Jun18), as she served as a co-host. "Now I can tell the real story. You'll see in my book that's coming out very soon!"
However, instead of living with regrets, Mel has chosen to learn from that difficult period and move on as best she can.
Asked if she is doing OK, she replied, "I am but I'm not, because when you go through a marriage like I did, you either sink or you swim, and I swam out of that marriage..."
"But I'm also very thankful that I experienced what I experienced on so many different levels," Mel added, "'cause now I understand what life is a little bit more, and I understand myself a little bit more.
"But I'm glad I'm alive, I'm glad I'm happy and healthy, and my kids are all doing good (sic), so it's a process."
And the mother-of-three, full name Melanie Brown, insists she wouldn't be as strong as she is now had she not faced such personal challenges.
"People can say, 'Oh, you're so strong, you've survived this, you've survived that', (but) you're only strong because you've been at one point in your life, or many points, so vulnerable and so weak," she shared. "That's how you get your strength. I think that's a very important process."
Mel, 43, has since jumped back onto the dating scene, and single life is going well: "I love it!" she beamed.
Earlier this month (Jun18), she confirmed rumours she has a new man in her life by sharing a loved-up selfie on Instagram, adding little hearts floating around her head.
"The way he makes me laugh and smile gives me butterflies beyond belief," she captioned the image. "Everything about him makes me more than happy and grateful."
Mel stopped short of revealing the identity of her new love, but she was previously rumoured to be dating a Los Angeles police officer, while she was also linked to her hairdresser, Gary Madatyan.
