Paula Patton recently sat down with Robin Roberts on Good Morning America to discuss her new role as a brand ambassador for Ellen Tracy, and the subject of Patton’s pending divorce from R&B singer Robin Thicke came up.
Patton says that while she’s doing well, the separation has had its challenges. “I mean, the honest truth is, it has been challenging,” she explains. “But it has been a year of growth—learning about all new things.
“I feel like everything happens for a reason,” she adds. “And then you have to move on and grow from there.”
Last year Patton and Thicke announced they were separating after nine years of marriage. The couple started dating while they were in high school, and in 2010 Patton gave birth to their son, Julian Fuego Thicke.
“We will always love each other and be best friends, however, we have mutually decided to separate at this time,” the couple said last year in a statement to People magazine.
In October, Patton officially filed for divorce, even after Thicke did his best to win her back with an album titled Paula. In an interview with Oprah, Thicke blamed his personal problems on his use of drugs and alcohol.
Patton says that her son has been her motivation throughout the separation. “The thing is, you can’t wallow in sadness or stay in bed when you have a child. And they’re so full of life and wonder. And he brings me so much joy,” she says.
She also says that she’s trying to remain positive and be thankful for her life.
“Usually the positive in your life outweighs that. And you have to just be thankful for what you have right now,” she says.