Ariana Madix is ready to raise a glass to a new era of her career.
There's no denying the Vanderpump Rules star has been busier than ever. From making her Broadway debut earlier this year to hosting Love Island USA's upcoming sixth season in June to partnering with DSW on a curated collection, these are certainly the best days of her life.
"The one thing that I've learned about myself is that the busier I am, the more I feel I'm capable of handling," Ariana told E! News in an exclusive interview. "It's those moments when I have too much down time that I start to get antsy and feel like I need more."
But does she see herself outside of filming reality TV? As the Bravo star put it, "Oh, absolutely."
"Being on Broadway is my number one thing," she continued. "I'm so proud of myself for being able to do that."
But before she reprises her role as Roxy Hart in Chicago later this summer, she's celebrating the growth she's had in the last year and a half following the aftermath of her ex Tom Sandoval's affair with castmate Rachel "Raquel" Leviss.
"I'm proud of myself for really learning to manage my anxiety in a better way," Ariana shared. "I think that's brought me a lot of peace. And peace is tough to come by, so I'm happy to be on a better side of that."
One way the 38-year-old has put her mental health first is by setting boundaries and sticking to them.
"There's always an aspect of feeling guilty when you bet on yourself," she explained. "You know, somebody else might not like the decision you're making. But the only way you can ever take care of other people is if you're taking care of yourself first. So, putting yourself first and betting on yourself."
She added, "And when it's tough, that's when you lean on the people who believe in you."
It's no wonder she kicked off her DSW collaboration in Los Angeles May 9 with her closest friends, including costar Katie Maloney and former cast member Dayna Kathan.
And in true Ariana fashion, her new springtime collection was made with intention behind it.
"There's such a great range of shoes because that's something that was really important to me," she said. "As people, and as women, we have so many hats. Sometimes, you need a shoe—or a few—to take you through all of these different roles you're playing in life."
But she's not just talking the talk, she's walking, the walk. As she reminded fans, "They say the universe always conspires in your favor, so the universe is looking out for all of us and all of the things we want to do in our lives."
We'll raise a glass to that.
Vanderpump Rules' season 11 reunion premieres May 14. Keep reading to get a preview of the cast's fiery reunion looks.
Scheana Shay
Ally Lewber
Lisa Vanderpump
Lala Kent
Katie Maloney
Ariana Madix
Tom Schwartz
Tom Sandoval
James Kennedy
Brock Davies
Jo Wenberg
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