Miranda Lambert revealed that the troubles in her past romantic life have helped her reach the happier period she is experiencing now.
The 38-year-old went through the collapse of her marriage to her fellow country star Blake Shelton before tying the knot with former NYPD cop Brendan McLoughlin.
Now she has told People: 'Without the hard stuff - the chaos, the crazy schedule, the heartbreak, the falling in love, the falling out of love - I wouldn't be who I am.'
Dynamic duo: Miranda Lambert revealed that the troubles in her past romantic life have helped her reach the happier period she is experiencing now with her husband Brendan McLoughlin
Miranda, who posed for a People cover shoot and stood for pictures inside with Brendan, gushed: 'I'm thankful for the lessons, even though they hurt at the time.'
She reflected: 'When I turned 30, I started to take life in a new direction and really start to understand myself a little better. And going through hard things obviously makes you get to know yourself better.'
Said she: 'When you get broken down pretty good, you look at the mirror and you go: "I have to spend some time with me, learn who I am and what I want." I got to a really good place with myself. Then I met my husband.'
Miranda separated from Blake in 2015 and channeled the experience of her divorce into her two-disc album The Weight Of These Wings.
Looking fab: Miranda, who posed for a People cover shoot and stood for pictures inside with Brendan, gushed: 'I'm thankful for the lessons, even though they hurt at the time'
In part, The Weight Of These Wings also covered her relationship with Anderson East, the R&B crooner she dated after her marriage fell apart.
Anderson and Miranda lasted two years together before breaking up, and she subsequently struck up a romance with Evan Felker of Turnpike Troubadours.
Rumors flew that Evan was still with his accountant wife Staci when he first took up with Miranda after joining her tour in a professional capacity.
Staci and Evan broke up in 2018, but they reunited after his split from Miranda and have since welcomed a daughter called Evangelina, one.
Having a ball: 'I want to be open about how happy we are,' said Miranda, who is pictured with Brendan at the CMT Music Awards this April
Miranda and Brendan enjoyed a whirlwind three-month romance before marrying in 2019, after which he retired from the NYPD and reportedly joined her security detail.
