"Lying in bed crying isn't going to change the fact that my family will never be the same again," Vanessa told People.com ... "But getting out of bed and pushing forward is going to make the day better for my girls and for me. So that's what I do."

Vanessa has kept very busy in the year after Kobe and 13-year-old Gianna passed away in that tragic helicopter crash -- taking the reigns on various projects Kobe had been working on in both entertainment and charity.

She worked with author Ivy Claire to complete Kobe's novel for young adults, "Epoca: The River of Sand" -- which dropped back in December.

And, she's been a force with Kobe's non-profit organization -- relaunching it as the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation, with the mission of helping "underserved athletes and women in sports."

Vanessa says Kobe and Gianna serve as her inspiration to "keep going" -- "They inspire me to try harder and be better every day. Their love is unconditional and they motivate me in so many different ways."

Now, as Vanessa moves forward with her 3 daughters -- 18-year-old Natalia, 4-year-old Bianka and 1-year-old Capri -- she leans on her family to "give me strength."