My mom brought me up to believe that my talent is a gift and a blessing.

You've got to make a decision: Are you going to go down with the situation, or are you going to focus and succeed? My dream...kept me going.

Basically, what I'm saying is there is nothing fake about what I do. I'm up-front, I'm real, I'm honest and I'm open with my feelings.

Everybody needs that one person that takes you to the right place to see all the positives in your life.

One day I hope to open a shelter of my own. I think it's really important to share my own story with women who've been abused, because going through that experience has led me to where I am today: It's given me the strength and motivation to be the best that I can be.

Being a mom changes your life. It actually has made me become more comfortable in my own skin and my own body because it's such a growth and a learning lesson.

I was brought up in a household of chaos and I never felt stable at home. At a really young age, I decided I was never going to feel helpless, I was never going to feel weak around a man, and I was never going to rely on anyone. Independence was a big, big thing for me.