Shania Twain, who took five years off from her career, is about to step back into the spotlight. In the December issue of Redbook, she shares, "I struggled a lot internally with my fame, and coping with it has been very difficult. I was at the point where I would never look anyone in the eye. It was like living in prison."

After retreating to her chateau in Switzerland with her husband and son, Shania is ready to re-emerge. In addition to being mom to her 6-year-old, promoting a new perfume and working on an album due that's due out next year, Twain says she's learning to look after herself. She elaborates, "I'm not such a slave to pleasing everyone, which I think is a female tendency. I take more time for myself; that's a very big part of mental, emotional and physical health." As for getting back into public life, Shania says, "I'm not naturally a spotlight person ... [But] I don't mind being the center of attention in a controlled, comfortable environment."

She adds that music is an integral part of her life, and she wants "to write and record things that affect people in a positive way." So what does the future hold for Twain? She jokes, "I'll probably be in the Canadian wilderness somewhere."