Ciara reflects on the "pivotal" moment when she knew it was time to leave a relationship that was no longer serving her, and how she knew Russell Wilson was the one for her.
Ciara and Future — whose real name is Nayvadius DeMun Cash — began dating in 2012 and officially went public with their relationship in 2013. In May 2014, the two welcomed son Future Zahir into the world.
Shortly after their son was born, Ciara called it quits with the "pushin P" rapper. Future was reportedly caught up in multiple cheating allegations, and Ciara had had enough.
"When you know you're supposed to make a super defined decision in your life, you know it from your head to your feet, from your feet to your head, and your soul in your body, you know it," Ciara said on CHD about when she knew it was time to walk away from Future.
"It's almost like your taste buds change. You have a taste for a certain kind of thing and then your taste buds just go [Ciara acts out a gagging motion]."
"You have to also look in the mirror and reflect sometimes, too. 'What are things that I could be doing differently in my life? I'm looking for a change, but what does that mean?' So, you have to define everything about making changes in your life that are very critical."
Ciara added that having a child changed the way she navigated relationships. Not only was she responsible for bettering herself and her situation, but she also had to think about what was best for her son.
"When you have a child, there's no time to play around," Ciara added. "There's no time for experimentation. I am now responsible for another life. When you're tired, you're tired. We don't want to be tired all the time. I want joy. I want to make sure that my cup is full."
"Toxicity will kill you. Putting toxic things into your body is not good. We have to be real with ourselves. 'What do you want out of life for yourself?' You have to be a little selfish in your thought process, and whatever's around you has to align with that."
The "How We Roll" singer admitted that there's no fun in being confused about your relationship all the time or having someone take you on a ring-around. She added that it's in those moments where you lose yourself, and it can get scary. But ultimately, she knew she was tired of having her time wasted.
Ciara said she took the time to heal and reflect on the type of person she saw herself with. She remembers these thoughts being so vivid that when she met Russell, she just knew.
After her breakup, Ciara didn't think she'd get into another relationship for another four years, but she began dating Russell back in 2015, and the rest is history.
She first met the Denver Broncos quarterback at a basketball game in March 2015. They eventually had their first date at Ciara's house while her dad and son were home, although at the time, Ciara only viewed him as a friend.
They ended up talking for hours, and by the end of the night, Ciara revealed she "just knew." She remembers calling her best friend and telling her that he was "the one." His view on life and the feeling she got while talking to him made her realize how different he was from other men and how right he was for her.
When they had their first official date outside of the house, during dinner, Russell told Ciara, "You're going to get somebody who is consistent for you every day." And that's something that's stuck with her for a long time, because his intention has remained the same.
Ciara and Russell tied the knot in July 2016. They've been together for eight years and recently celebrated their seventh wedding anniversary.
Along with being Future's stepfather, Russell and Ciara share two kids together — 6-year-old Sienna Princess and 3-year-old Win Harrison. Ciara is also currently pregnant with their third child.
While Ciara said "every day is not perfect," Russell is still the one she turns to when she's "at her lowest point." They also find ways to keep things exciting, like having date nights every Friday and trying new things together.
