Jana Kramer looks back on her teenage years: 'I was always trying to get people to like me'

It's impossible to dislike Jana Kramer. The country star, actress and new mom is, by all accounts, a total sweetheart -- and gorgeous to boot. But as a teenager, the Michigan native struggled to find her sense of self-worth.

In high school, "I was always trying to get people to like me," she told AOL Entertainment, speaking quietly into the phone as her 1-year-old, Jolie, napped. "I just wish I could go back and tell my young self, 'Don't chase love.' I know that sounds super cheesy, but back then, I always wanted to be loved so bad. I was always chasing it in the wrong ways."

It's a lesson that took a long time to learn, and the journey inspired her new single, "I've Done Love," which drops Friday.

"I've never been drunk; I've never touched a drug," she said. But love: "I've done it hard. I've swam in the deep end."

The 33-year-old is open with fans about her rocky past relationships, which have included domestic abuse, two divorces and a separation. But she finds solace, she said, in music: "I feel like I'm not alone, which is why I love songs," she said. "I really hope that someone else can relate to ['I've Done Love'], too."

Balancing her career and a baby leaves Kramer little time to spare, so she's found creative solutions to everyday problems: She FaceTimes her trainer for short fitness sessions while Jolie is sleeping, and she makes sure her purses are always stocked for any type of emergency.

"The U By Kotex Fitness tampon has a FitPack -- it's discreet, it's a little pouch," she said. "I keep that in my purses; that way, I don't have tampons all flying around."