Christina El Moussa on Going Solo and Looking to the Future: I Can 'Create My Own Destiny'

"It's invigorating to know I am starting over," Christina El Moussa tells PEOPLE

Flip or Flop’s Christina El Moussa opens up about her very public divorce and why she’s “genuinely happy” for the first time in years. Subscribe now for the exclusive interview — only in PEOPLE!

HGTV star Christina El Moussa is single for the first time in years — and she’s jumping head first into all the possibilities that come with flying solo.

“There are so many unknowns, [but] it’s invigorating to know I am starting over,” Christina tells PEOPLE in this week’s cover story. “It’s fun to be able to create my own destiny right now.”

Christina secretly split from her husband of seven years, Tarek El Moussa, in May of last year after a terrifying incident at their Southern California home. However, the pair didn’t announce the split until December, when they revealed — in an exclusive statement to PEOPLE — that they were separating.

• Watch the full episode of PEOPLE’s Cover Story: Christina El Moussa, streaming now on People/Entertainment Weekly Network (PEN). Go to PEOPLE.com/PEN, or download the app for Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Xumo, Chromecast, Xfinity, iOS and Android devices.

While Christina’s main priority throughout the split has been the couple’s children — daughter Taylor, 6, and son Brayden, 18 months — she is also pursuing her own business interests, including writing a new book.

And although Christina is now navigating life alone, Tarek will continue to be involved in her world — co-parenting their two children and filming Flip or Flop together. Currently, the El Moussas are filming new episodes for season 7 of the hit HGTV show.

• For more from Christina El Moussa on how she’s coping with divorce in the spotlight, co-parenting and continuing to work with her ex, Tarek, pick up this week’s issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday

Despite their split, Christina only wants the best for her soon-to-be ex — and vows to not speak negatively about him.

“No matter what, I never want to say something about Tarek that my kids would have to read about later,” Christina says. “That’s their dad, and it’s not my focus to put him down.”

–With LINDSAY KIMBLE