Jennifer Lopez gave Vanity Fair magazine her first interview since announcing her plans to divorce husband of seven years, Marc Anthony, earlier this month.

"Sometimes it doesn't work -- and that's sad," Lopez, 42, told the publication. "But I remain an eternal optimist about love. I believe in love ... It's still my biggest dream. I am positive -- determined to move forward with my life, bring up my babies, and do the best job I can as a mother, entertainer, and person. I now look forward to new challenges. I feel strong," the newly single mother of twins insisted.

Lopez, who has already walked down the aisle three times, also talked about her other high-profile relationships with Diddy, with whom she is rumored to be reigniting the flame, and her engagement to Ben Affleck. "I'm a hopeless romantic and passionate person when it comes to love," Lopez admitted.

Lopez reflected on the delicate dance that is balancing "we" and "me" telling the magazine, "Sometimes we don't realize that we are compromising ourselves. To understand that a person is not good for you, or that that person is not treating you in the right way, or that he is not doing the right thing for himself -- if I stay, then I am not doing the right thing for me."

"I love myself enough to walk away from that now," she revealed.

Whether he treated her right or not, the returning 'American Idol' judge insisted that Anthony made for a great business partner. "Together we could make magic -- and we did," she explained.

Lopez continued her candid confession admitting, "I will always respect Marc as a singer and performer ... He will always hold a special place in my heart as the father of my children."

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