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Julianne Hough Debuts 'Transform' Music Video, Calls Past Year the 'Most Challenging Period of My Life'

Julianne Hough/Instagram

Julianne Hough felt it was finally time to release her music video for "Transform."

On Sunday, the 32-year-old dancer and singer debuted the music video, which was directed by brother Derek Hough, one year after releasing her single.

Also on Sunday, the Kinrgy founder opened up to her Instagram followers about the "challenging" year she's had. "One year ago, I released my song TRANSFORM and created this music video. I wrote this song during a highly transformative time in my life, when I was delayering all my personal, social, and religious conditioning — finding compassion and empathy for ALL parts of me, not just the 'good' parts," she wrote in her lengthy caption.

Hough said she was supposed to release the video earlier, but "the most tragic loss of my life abruptly occurred," possibly referring to when her two Cavalier King Charles dogs, Lexi and Harley, both died in December 2019.

"Personally, this past year has been the most challenging period of my life. Collectively, we are experiencing a global pandemic, extreme injustice, polarization, environmental devastation, and an economic downturn that has contributed to increasing anxiety, depression and fear amongst us. This year has not been easy for anyone and this song rings even more true today than a year ago when I wrote it," she continued.

"My hope in releasing this video now, is that you can see that through the courage and resilience that we innately have within us, we can choose how we live in the world… through the 'FEAR of change' or the 'JOY of Transformation,' " Hough added. "I'm excited to share this video with all of you, a year later, to hopefully bring some light, color, and FUN to the world right now. This is a Transformative time for all of us. Let me know how this makes you feel⁣."

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Hough received an outpouring of support after sharing the video. "Proud of all you do Jules 🙏🏼," brother Derek, 35, wrote in the comments.

One of the "challenges" the actress may have been hinting at is working through a rough patch in her marriage with estranged husband Brooks Laich. They announced their split exclusively to PEOPLE in May after three years of marriage.

Multiple sources previously told PEOPLE that the pair were having problems in their marriage and social distancing separately during the COVID-19 pandemic, with Laich in Idaho and Hough at home in Los Angeles.

However, the two have remained in each other's lives and hinted at a reunion on Saturday, when Julianne shared a video with Laich's Husky, Koda, at the same lake house featured on the former hockey player's Instagram Story.

A source also told PEOPLE this month that Hough and Laich might be giving their relationship another try and "definitely working on their marriage again," adding, "A reconciliation is looking more and more likely."