Actress-turned-lifestyle guru Gwyneth Paltrow has opened up about the ups and downs in her life, including her divorce from ex-husband Chris Martin, in a candid new interview.

The 44 year old, who split from the Coldplay frontman after more than a decade of marriage back in March 2014 and coined the notorious “conscious uncoupling” phrase, is often accused of being out of touch, and her Goop wellness/lifestyle newsletter has frequently been the object of derision in the press.

However, Paltrow addressed this perception of her in a new interview with The Edit, saying that she’s the first to admit that she’s led a charmed life, but it hasn’t been all good.

Gwyneth PaltrowGwyneth Paltrow pictured in May 2017

“I've had an extraordinary life, where things have happened in a huge way - huge success, huge joy, huge pain, huge loss. And the reason I feel happy today is because I've milked the f*** out of every opportunity,” she said.

“I haven't made one mistake that I haven't used as a stepping stone to get somewhere else. I'm ruthless when it comes to using the hard things.”

More: Gwyneth Paltrow’s lifestyle newsletter Goop publishes an entire article about taboo sexual act

The Oscar-winning actress, and mother-of-two, was asked why people tend to have such a negative impression of her. “It’s got a few layers to it. People were fine with me as an actress, but with Goop it was like, 'Stay in your lane.' Women in general get a lot of pushback, especially if you’re successful and attractive… I’m not saying I’m attractive. I mean when you’re considered attractive.”

She also addressed her divorce from Martin, with whom she remains on very friendly terms, and how that drove her ambitions for Goop.

“I wanted to turn my divorce into a positive. What if I didn’t blame the other person for anything, and held myself 100% accountable? What if I checked my own s*** at the door and put my children first? And reminded myself about the things about my ex-husband that I love, and fostered the friendship? What I put myself through to get there was the most difficult thing I’ve ever done in my life.”

And the ‘conscious uncoupling’? “People are coming around!” she exclaimed. “I know it’s a dorky term, but it’s very worthwhile. I’m always the person who gets s*** at first, but then later people say, 'Hey, maybe that’s a good idea.' I don’t mind.”

More: “I’d have to take you to dinner first!” – Chris Martin gets propositioned by fan during Coldplay gig