Updated

Selena Gomez is no stranger to the spotlight. She has been performing since she was 10 years old on “Barney and Friends” before hitting it big on Disney Channel’s “Wizards of Waverly Place.”

“I thank God for that show – it gave me a legitimate family,” she told Into The Gloss. “The whole cast and crew were all these before anything started, they saw me at my best and at my worst, and could call me out on my shit.”

Since then the 22-year-old’s career has been in the fast lane with hit songs and movies making Gomez one of the most famous young stars in Hollywood. And while in front of the cameras she seems to handle the attention with aplomb, it’s not always the case behind the scenes.

“It’s been such a transitional year for me – I moved out of my parents’ house this year and into my own place. I took my first break ever and have been using the time to really concentrate on what makes me happy,” Gomez said. “Sometimes, I’ll be honest, I don’t handle all of this as well as people think, so it’s been important to really figure out what makes me feel grounded.”

Though she did not discuss it, a huge part of her “transitional year” was voluntarily doing a short stint in rehab in early January.

Nowadays, Gomez said, she is feeling more grounded and wants to use her time in the spotlight to inspire others to keep moving forward.

“The older I get, the prouder I am to be a woman in the industry,” she said. “When I was younger and running around all the time on tour, I don’t think I took the time to notice how being a woman in my position is really a gift. I want to make sure I utilize all that power … all the stuff that I’ve been living, because it’s been beautiful and awkward and authentic.”

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