Michelle Obama is getting real about what her life would look like if she'd never said 'I do' to Barack Obama.
In a joint interview with People published June 24, the 62-year-old opened up about how differently things could have unfolded. "The truth is, I probably would have been someone who stayed more put," she revealed. "I think I would have had a beautiful life here, but it would have been smaller."
Michelle credited her former president husband with expanding her horizons. "Because of who my husband is, he offered all of us—our girls, my mom, my family—a broader sense of what's possible in life," she explained. "He made me think more broadly about what I could do with this Harvard law degree besides be a lawyer."
She called Barack her "ballast"—the force that kept her grounded while pushing her forward. "He gave me the courage," Michelle said. "You provide the forward push that sometimes some of us don't have."
Barack, 64, reflected on how Michelle's strength became the foundation of their marriage. "She grounds and anchors me," he said. "I knew almost immediately and it looks like I made a pretty good bet."
The two have been showing their love publicly. Michelle paid tribute to Barack on Father's Day with a family photo, writing: "He shows our daughters every day what it truly means to be a man." Meanwhile, Barack honored Michelle on Mother's Day with his own message.
After more than three decades together and two daughters—Malia, 27, and Sasha, 25—the couple continues to speak openly about their marriage.
