Christina Applegate: 2009 Is for Finding Happiness

With a turbulent year behind her that included the death of her former boyfriend and a battle with breast cancer, Christina Applegate sees promise in 2009.

"It's about finding happiness and joy, as if it were water and I was a person dying in a desert. You have to search for that," Applegate, 37, tells People.

The actress, who was nominated for a Golden Globe award for her role on ABC's Samantha Who?, described her last year of struggle, saying, "You can't get any darker than I went." As a cancer survivor, after undergoing a double mastectomy, Applegate says she plans to reconnect with some activities she lost touch with, like ground running. "I missed running so much," she said. "I'm looking forward to running more."

And there's nothing better than surrounding yourself with good friends, especially when they have a passion for fashion. Applegate spent time with pal Eva Longoria Parker on Sunday morning playing dress-up. "It was like a little party," she says. "It was fun."