NeNe Leakes is leaving Bravo's "Real Housewives of Atlanta" after nearly eight years.

Leakes, who has joined the reality show since its debut in 2008, told PEOPLE that she won't be coming back for Season 8.

"This was definitely a hard decision for me," the 48-year-old TV personality told the news outlet. "Me and my husband [Gregg Leakes] have been going back and forth on it for weeks now. But my contract is up and I just think this is the right time. This is my opportunity to spread my wings and do different things."

Leakes describes her exit from the reality show as a positive decision and "a weight" that has been lifted off her shoulders, PEOPLE reported.

During her stay on "RHoA," Leakes was involved in several arguments and squabbles with her co-stars, adding that sometimes she was the one being targeted. On the other hand, she thinks that leaving the show will provide an opportunity for the other girls to be in the spotlight, given that she was the biggest star of the reality series.

"I won't miss the negativity," she told the news outlet. "I think some of the girls will be happy. They always felt like I was the star, and they were never able to really shine with me there, so here's their opportunity to shine."

Leakes also hinted that she wouldn't be "gone forever" from "RHoA," telling PEOPLE that she will "probably pop up and play with those girls every now and then."

Bravo's Andy Cohen also tweeted that there is still a possibility that Leakes will get back on the show sometime in the future. He wrote, "We love @NeNeLeakes & she is always welcome back to the house she helped build! She's a Real Housewife forever!!"

On Instagram, Leakes thanked her supporters, adding that with thoughts and prayers, she has decided "to step out on faith and not fear."

Following her departure from "RHoA," Leakes will turn her attention to other projects, including a TV series that is set to begin production this week, PEOPLE noted.

"I'm actually going to be doing a new primetime television show with a big legend," she revealed to PEOPLE. "All of my fans will get to see me be really happy, witty and funny and tell all of those one liners that I always have said on 'Housewives.'"

The past season of the reality show's reunion special featured the TV star's abandonment issues that stemmed from her mother walking away from Leakes' and her brother when they were just kids, E! News reported. According to Leakes, it was hard for her to talk about her absent mom and that she was sometimes misunderstood by others. Her fellow cast members, Cynthia Bailey, Phaedra Parks, and Porsha Williams, supported and sympathized with Leakes.