3 years after her husband's death, Celine Dion shares advice to overcome loss: 'You cannot stop living'

"Today's the first day of the beginning of my life," the singer said.

ByCatherine Thorbecke and Faryn Shiro via logo
April 2, 2019, 8:14 AM

Five time Grammy Award winner Celine Dion says she is feeling "so powerful and in charge and grounded and happy," three years after the death of her husband of over 20 years, and shared some of her best advice for others who may be going through a loss.

René Angélil, Dion's husband and manager of 21 years, died in 2016 after suffering a heart attack, but the singer said she feels he gave her so much "strength and power and positivity" before he passed away.

PHOTO: Celine Dion poses with dancers during her visit to "The Moulin Rouge,"  Jan. 24, 2019, in Paris.
Celine Dion poses with dancers during her visit to "The Moulin Rouge," Jan. 24, 2019, in Paris.
Kristy Sparow/Getty Images

She is now channeling that into being both a mom and dad, a "double shift" as she calls it, to their three children.

"The kids are growing, and I see them. And I look at them and I'm like, 'Wow ... we've done a great job,'" she told ABC News’ Deborah Roberts in an interview for “Good Morning America”. "And I'm so proud."

PHOTO: Celine Dion performs on the stage in concert at Cotai Strip, June 29, 2018, in Macau, China.
Celine Dion performs on the stage in concert at Cotai Strip, June 29, 2018, in Macau, China.
VCG via Getty Images

Dion said she is learning to make her own decisions, taking on new projects and slowly finding confidence again, without the man who guided her life for so long and helped propel her to stardom.

If there's any advice she would give to others who may have gone through a loss, she said it would be: "You cannot stop living."

"Go forward," she added. "And today's the first day of the beginning of my life, because I know that, I don't have to worry."

PHOTO: Celine Dion opens up in an interview with ABC News' Deborah Roberts.
Celine Dion opens up in an interview with ABC News' Deborah Roberts.
ABC News

The Canadian singer, who recently turned 51, said she feels "stronger, more beautiful" and "more grounded" than ever.

"There's this power and this strength that comes with that maturity and that -- that vintage thing," she added. "That's priceless."

PHOTO: Celine Dion opens up in an interview with ABC News' Deborah Roberts.
Celine Dion opens up in an interview with ABC News' Deborah Roberts.
ABC News

She also recently became the newest spokesperson for L'Oreal Paris.

The "My Heart Will Go On" singer said her secret to staying healthy, fit and happy these days is just having fun.

"[I] don't need to prove myself to the industry, to my family, to my friends, because I think I have done it for many years," she said. "I do it because my passion has grown through the years."

"And now I do it because I have so much fun," she added.

When asked about comments from some who say she has been looking too thin lately, Dion brushed them off, gasping, "I'm thin?"

"I'm kind, too, you know?" she added. "It's true that I'm a little thinner. Everything's fine, nothing's wrong."

She said she also recently discovered her "new passion" of "dancing."

This June, Dion will take the stage at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas for the very last time, ending her residency that has been ongoing for almost 20 years.

She said she doesn't like "the word finish."

"Vegas has given me ... the passion that we love to share with the people," she said. "People thought I was going to -- finish my career here. And that ... the Titanic was going to sink again."

When asked if she was ready for love again, Dion responded "I am in love."

"Love is not necessarily to marry again," she added. "When I see a rainbow, when I see a sunset ... a beautiful dance number, I laugh, I cry. I'm in love."

"I go on stage every night because I love what I do," Dion said. "So I'm very much in love."