Celine Dion has never felt so "beautiful and strong"

She said: "I feel so good now that I don't even want to think about my 20s and 30s when I was still discovering myself.

"For the last couple of years, I have grown in a very strong and happy way through my passions, my work, friendships, and motherhood.

"I am now embracing myself and feel free to do what I want, where I want, when I want.

"I am thankful to keep going, I've never felt so beautiful, strong, and I feel the best is yet to come.

"Today is the beginning of the rest of my life and I don't want to go back in time, I am going forward."

Celine - who has 18-year-old Rene-Charles and eight-year-old twins Nelson and Eddy with her late husband - admitted the loss of her husband after a long battle with throat cancer was "extremely hard" but she finds strength from their children.

She told Britain's OK! magazine: "Losing my husband, seeing him suffer, was extremely hard.

"But I learned to love him like there is no tomorrow.

"I knew that I had to let him go in peace, and not be selfish trying to make him stay a little longer.

"I now see him in the eyes of my kids, and that makes me stronger.

"It helped me to keep going and to go back on stage.

"So I continue to work hard, I have found new passions, such as dance, and made new friends and I'm very well surrounded."