Kelly Clarkson Talks Finding True Happiness: ‘I Was In A Very Dark Place For A Long Time’

Kelly
Clarkson is feeling more productive than ever.

The
singing powerhouse got candid about balancing fame, marriage and motherhood in
an interview for Good Housekeeping’s December issue, and revealed her secret to
staying on top of it all. 

“Becoming a mother has made me next-level confident.
I’ve never felt more empowered,” she told the mag, joking that such
declarations make her sound “like such a tool.”

PHOTOS: Kelly Clarkson: Then & Now

Kelly explained that starting a family with husband Brandon Blackstock has actually helped her become more efficient than she was during her more self-conscious younger years.

“I feel like my 20s were spent walking on eggshells making sure everyone felt loved and not really expressing my opinion,” the “Stronger” singer said. “As a mom, you just don’t have time, so you get straight to the point. I go to bed every night and the list of what I’ve accomplished is astounding.”

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The couple tied the knot in 2013 and has since welcomed two children together, in addition to sharing Brandon’s son and daughter from his previous marriage. Kelly said she and the music manager go out of their way to set aside one-on-one time, even if it means sacrificing some much-needed rest.

“We try our best. Brandon and I have a date night every night — we’ll get the kids to bed and go out by the lake with a glass of wine, and the next thing we know, it’s 2 a.m.,” she said. “We’re tired in the morning, but we need that time to stay connected.”

Kelly admitted that her journey to personal and professional success has not been an easy one. The 34-year-old said she turned down two record deals prior to her star-making turn on “American Idol,” and was in “a very dark place for a long time” while navigating the spotlight.

Now, she told the mag that she knows she’s “lucked out” and is “waiting for the floor to drop out from under” her. Despite feeling fulfilled in the major aspects of her life, Kelly said the option to choose family over fame is something she’s definitely considered.

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“Oh, all the time,” she said, when asked if she’d ever give up her career. Despite the “constant guilt,” however, Kelly said she keeps up her multi-tasking to set a good example.

“It’s important for my girls, especially, to see me as a woman accomplishing all these things while nailing it as a mom. I always come back to that,” she said.

Knowing when to draw the line may be another key happiness factor. Seven months after welcoming son Remington, Kelly said she and Brandon have agreed that their household is complete. 

“I’m not going to be pregnant anymore,” she said. “We scientifically made that impossible for both of us, because I have the world’s worst pregnancies. I basically told my ob-gyn, ‘If you don’t handle this and I get pregnant, I’m going to find you!'”

— Erin Biglow