Michelle Obama Details How Her Life Would Look Without Barack Obama

Malia Obama, Sasha Obama Make Rare Joint Appearance at Dad Barack Obama's Presidential Center Opening

Michelle Obama's love for Barack Obama has been a light she's grateful to carry.

More than three decades after the former president of the United States met and tied the knot with the former first lady in her native city of Chicago, she posited what her life would have looked like had the couple not married.

"We are each other's counterbalance," Michelle—who shares daughters Malia, 27, and Sasha, 25, with Barack—told People in a joint interview with her husband published June 24. "The truth is, I probably would have been someone who stayed more put. I think I would have had a beautiful life here, but it would have been smaller."

"But because of who my husband is, he offered all of us—our girls, my mom, my family—a broader sense of what's possible in life," she continued. "He made me think more broadly about what I could do with this Harvard law degree besides be a lawyer. He gave me the courage. He was my ballast."

Plus, through the ups and downs of their relationship and Barack's historic political career, the 62-year-old could always count on her husband's encouragement.

"You provide the forward push that sometimes some of us don't have," she said to the former politician. "I think it's been good for me to be a little shaken, to be pushed to do more than what I thought I could do."

For Barack's part, he shared insight into how his wife's strength laid the foundation for their lasting marriage.

"She grounds and anchors me," the 64-year-old reflected. "We've been together for 34, going on 35 years. I knew almost immediately and it looks like I made a pretty good bet. This was a one-of-a-kind woman with the integrity and character, smarts and values to make me better. Just being with her made me better, and she still does."

MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images

The Becoming author and Barack have always been sure to show their love out loud, with the matriarch most recently paying tribute to her husband on Father's Day.

"He shows our daughters every day what it truly means to be a man," she wrote on Instagram June 21 with a photo of their family. "Thank you for setting the bar high for them."

Meanwhile, Barack honored Michelle on Mother's Day one month earlier with his own loving message.

"I'm grateful for all the ways you've shown up for our daughters and our family over the years," he captioned the May 10 message alongside a snap of a throwback photo of the couple kissing. "We love you."

For a closer look at Barack and Michelle's love story, keep reading.

For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App