The singer Kelly Clarkson spoke out on her talk show this week to admit that 2020 has been “quite a year” for her. Not only did she have to grapple with life amidst the coronavirus pandemic just like the rest of us did, she also split from her husband of seven years, Brandon Blackstock.

During her show on Wednesday, Clarkson opened up about what all she’s learned in 2020.

“Even at 38, I feel like I’m always changing and progressing in a good sense, in a good way. I always want to make sure I’m being the best version of myself,” Clarkson said. “… You are who you surround yourself with. You want to make sure you’re surrounded by people that also want to be the best versions of themselves and also have a good, common goal for everyone, not just themselves.”

“It’s been a really good lesson to learn that people could be bad for you in a certain time. I think that everybody goes, ‘Oh, that just means they’re bad.’ It doesn’t necessarily mean that, it just means you’re on different paths,” she added. “I think that that’s OK. Everybody’s on a different learning curve and everybody’s learning something different at different times.”

Though she admitted that 2020 “has just been a dumpster fire,” Clarkson said that she’s managed to find joy in her children, her job, and her friends.

“We have now realized family and friends matter so much, especially in this time… So it’s been really cool that I have really good friends to lean on and talk to,” the original “American Idol” winner explained. “… I think you find joy in work when you have away time from it and you get a break. And then you find joy in your personal life when work’s good too and you have something that’s your purpose. [And also] planning fun things with my kids, like going to the beach.”

Despite how much of a rollercoaster this year has been, Clarkson is ready for whatever 2020 may bring.

“I’m grateful for next year because I’m just happy we’re moving on and everybody can move on. Let’s figure stuff out,” she said. “I think everybody has felt so suppressed. At some point we really just need to come together and really get a handle on COVID and get a handle on lovin’ on each other instead of hating each other and seeing such division all the time. I think everyone wants that. That’s a collective thing.”

“… I’m very excited about 2021,” Clarkson added. “I’m not fearful of it at all.”