Kristin Cavallari Reflects on 2020 as ‘One of the Best Years’ of Her Life Amid Jay Cutler Divorce

Kristin Cavallari is looking back on a year of ups and downs as she celebrates her 34th birthday amid a divorce from Jay Cutler. The Very Cavallari alum shared a candid photo of her celebratory meal on Instagram Tuesday as she looked back on a “crazy year” filled with “highs and lows.”

“33 was a crazy year to say the least,” she began. “The ups and downs, highs and lows. But I can honestly say it was one the best years of my life. Lots of growth and opportunity. I feel like I’m back to my old self and it feels really damn good. This is 34.”

The Laguna Beach alum’s best friend, Justin Anderson, commented, “Happy birthday lovie! here’s to another year of belly laughing at our own dumb jokes, holding each other accountable, and having each other’s back. love you to infinity and beyond cavallari,” while her rumored flame, comedian Jeff Dye commented simply, “Happpppyyyyyy Birthdaaaayyyyyyy!!!”

Cavallari’s reflection on the past year comes just nine months after the mother of three announced her split from Cutler after 10 years together. The two are currently co-parenting sons Camden Jack, 8, and Jaxon Wyatt, 6, as well as daughter Saylor James, 5.

In September, the MTV personality told PEOPLE of her life now, “A year ago, I felt like I was almost drowning. There was so much going on. I was filming a show, I was trying to wrap up True Comfort. Obviously, my three kids, I was married, [I was running] Uncommon James. There was just a lot on my plate. I feel like this is the first time in a really long time I’ve been able to come up for air. And it feels really good.”

“That’s not to say that I don’t have really hard days with everything that’s going on right now,” she clarified. “But my priority, my focus right now, is my kids and just making sure my kids are good — that we’re communicating, we’re talking, we have an open dialogue.”

Cavallari has struck up a new romance with Dye, first spotted getting cozy together in Chicago in October, then again in Nashville and Mexico. While neither has addressed their romance head-on, they continue a flirty dialogue on social media. Cavallari was also rumored to have a connection with Southern Charm‘s Austen Kroll after the two partied together in a tipsy Instagram Live video, but she has since clarified the Bravo star is just a friend.