"Vanderpump Rules" star Katie Maloney is opening up about her split from husband Tom Schwartz.
On the March 16 episode of her podcast, "You're Going to Love Me," Maloney said that there wasn't a dramatic reason for the end of the couple's relationship.
"There wasn't some kind of crazy incident that happened. There wasn't some crazy fight that resulted in this," Maloney said. "Again, it was my decision, which was probably the hardest and most painful decision I've ever had to make."
Maloney said that she's been separated from Schwartz for "a little over a month now" and she knew that she had to call it quits with her husband.
"The best and only way I can describe it is just like, waking up inside of my life and having this voice that just became louder and louder," she said. "And just events in my life and in our relationship coming into focus and feeling the weight of them on me."
"I wanted to deny them, I wanted to push them out of my head because I love Tom and we have built a life together and he was my person and I wanted to be with him forever," Maloney continued. "But ultimately, I just wasn't happy."
After feeling those emotions for "a long time," Maloney knew that they weren't just going to go away.
"It just became more clear and I could no longer deny it. And that was the hardest thing to accept," she said.
Maloney decided to tell Schwartz how she was feeling. She said that it was "difficult" to choose herself and her needs over her husband's happiness.
"I realized that I had to really just start prioritizing myself and my happiness as well," Maloney said. "It's just needed to happen."
"That's just what everything inside of me was saying," Maloney added. "I got to a point where I just felt like I was going to burst. For months it was building up. I felt just disconnected. I felt like I was drifting further and further away... and I couldn't stop. It was just the hardest, hardest thing to do. (It was) the hardest thing to tell him, because I knew it was going to crush him."
Although the future looks "very scary" for Maloney, she said that she's "very hopeful" for what's to come next. Right now, she and Schwartz are just figuring things out as they go along.
"It's been emotional, for sure. But it's also been in ways, peaceful and loving. The transition is so far going really well," she said. "We do still live together in our house and we're just trying to navigate these steps together and really work on becoming friends in that sense."
Maloney added that living with Schwartz after their separation is one of the "best case" scenarios that she could "possibly imagine or hope for or want." Although she doesn't feel like they're "going to live together forever," she is happy that they're ending their marriage as friends.
"I'm so grateful that we don't have resentment and animosity. It would be truly heartbreaking if we got to a point in our marriage where there was resentment and anger, and we spent a lifetime together and ended up hating one another after that. I would be truly heartbroken," she said.
"The fact that we have so much love for one another still and can end the marriage on a positive note and transition into a beautiful friendship that was the foundation of our relationship, that was the core of it," Maloney continued. "We've had an amazing friendship throughout these years. The romantic side is over, but the friendship is still there."
Earlier this week, Maloney announced that she and Schwartz were separating after spending 12 years together.
“I never thought I would have to make an announcement like this,” she wrote on Instagram the time. “But I feel it’s important that I’m open about my life with you. After 12 years on an adventure through life together Tom and I are ending our marriage.”
“This ending is not met with resentment or animosity, no sides to choose,” Maloney continued. “We have deep admiration for one another that will always remain and we cherish our friendship. Although we may be on different paths we will continue to love and support one another’s happiness.”
Schwartz also shared a statement, writing that he "fully" respected "Katie's decision."
"It would be far sadder if she decided to stay with me whilst not happy," he wrote.