The philanthropist also said she “wouldn’t have gotten through my divorce if it wasn’t for my three closest friends”

Melinda French Gates said she “prayed for grace” before deciding to publicly open up about her divorce from Bill Gates after more than 25 years of marriage.

It has been more than two years since that moment, when Melinda sat down with CBS Mornings host Gayle King to discuss her divorce from her billionaire husband for the very first time.

In that interview, the 59-year-old philanthropist said she “couldn’t trust” her relationship with Bill, which she said “just wasn’t healthy.”

Now, sitting down with King and Oprah Winfrey for her new Youtube series called Moments That Make Us, Melinda is looking back at that interview and how she sought “grace to say the right things and not the wrong things [and] the grace to stand in my truth, but also not do complete damage.”

In their episode of Melinda’s new series, released on Wednesday, July 24, Winfrey, 70, and King, 69, applauded her for being a role model for other women who may also be experiencing similar relationship problems.

Melinda said she told her friends she wasn’t able to pretend everything was fine.

“I couldn’t do that for my soul, and for so many other women that I’ve met who are in painful situations and can’t get out, who aren’t sure they should get out,” she said on Moments That Make Us.

Additionally, Melinda said she “wouldn’t have gotten through my divorce if it wasn’t for my three closest friends,” who were first to learn about her desire to get a divorce.

All three friends agreed with Melinda and supported her decision, she said. They already “knew there were some problems” in the Gates’ marriage.

“You actually need a friend who will tell you the truth even when you don’t want to hear it,” Melinda told Winfrey and King.

Looking ahead, Melinda said she is “very” excited for the next chapter of her life. She recently told Time magazine that she is open to dating and ready to meet someone new.

She is looking for someone “who’s open to learning and who’s vibrant, and who’s smart, and somebody who challenges me and that I challenge,” she said then.

The philanthropist was last linked to former Fox News correspondent Jon Du Pre. But a spokesperson for Melinda told PEOPLE in April that she and Du Pre were “no longer dating” each other.