Jennifer Lopez "went through a tremendous low" after her split from Marc Anthony.
The 44-year-old singer - who has six-year-old twins Max and Emme with her ex-husband - admits she struggled to come to terms with their break up in July 2011, but she believes the heartbreak made her a stronger person.
Speaking to PEOPLE.com, she said: "I went through a tremendous low but I wouldn't change anything [about my past] because it made me who I am."
The 'On The Floor' hitmaker, who tied the knot with Marc in 2004 after two previous failed marriages, insists the split allowed her to "take a look at what was going on" in her life and re-evaluate her past relationships.
She explained: "As women we can sometimes give ourselves away. I was certainly guilty of that for some time. Now I realise I am good on my own, so now I can share my life with somebody."
However, Jennifer, who has been dating backing-dancer Casper Smart for the past two years, believes her children have allowed her to understand the real meaning of love.
She said: "I just feel like I went through a real growth spurt as a human being [when I became a mother].
"Having my babies allowed me to realise what real unconditional love was."
Tagged in Jennifer Lopez Marc Anthony Casper Smart