Jessica Simpson Talks Weight And Insecurities

Jessica Simpson says she's taken a beating by being scrutinized by the press for her fluctuating weight and public romances – but the singer focuses on the good things in her life.

"There's no way you're not going to be affected by the ugly things people say about you," Simpson told USA Today at the Women's Conference in Long Beach, Calif., Monday. "It's very hurtful. It definitely brings up a lot of your own insecurities."

But Simpson, who says she's "the happiest I've ever been," is focused on the positive people in her life, rather then the ones who only want to bring her down.

"It takes a great family and wonderful friends – and love definitely helps, too – to get through it," she says.

Simpson, who just turned 30, says she's at the perfect place in her life. "I love being 30," she says. "The moment I turned 30, I really did feel a switch in my life … I had this coming of age moment … I love the woman inside of me."

The singer, who has been very vocal about her adoration for beau Eric Johnson, continues to praise the man she says, "brings out a lot of light in me."

"He definitely makes me happy and makes me very comfortable being who I am," she says. "It's nice to be with somebody who praises you for all the right reasons."

So, are wedding bells in the works for Simpson and Johnson? Not yet, says the singer, but "[I] definitely dreamed of being married my whole life and having children, so hopefully that's in my future."

Credit: People