Geena Davis Shares Her Best Tips For Building Self-Esteem: ‘Don’t Worry So Much!’ (EXCLUSIVE)

Building self-esteem can be easier said than done and for actress Geena Davis, it took her some time to feel confident in her own shoes. At age 62, Geena exclusively revealed the tips that she used to deal with stress both in and out of her career — scroll down to read her advice!

Accept Your Differences

“Self-esteem is so critical, and you can improve yours,” Geena exclusively told Closer Weekly at the Toronto International Film Festival premiere of This Changes Everything, a documentary she co-produced about gender inequality in Hollywood. 

For instance, she suggested learning to accept what makes you unique. The 6-foot star used to feel insecure about her height. “I worried I would never stop growing! It took me until I was 18 to embrace it.” But once she did, “I was happy about it!”

Stay Positive

“In my adult life I took up archery,” the actress said, adding she often thought, “Ugh… I suck!” But when she began listening to her inner dialogue, “My self talk was constantly, ‘I’m not good enough.'” This realization helped her reach a turning point. “My advice is, when you hear yourself saying negative things, say, ‘Hang on, that’s not true. I’m doing the best I can. I am valuable.'”

Give Yourself a Break

We are often told childhood is the best time of your life, but Geena — whose Institute on Gender in Media focuses on female representation in kids’ films and TV — says children “have so much to stress about, like, ‘What’s life going to be like?'” Now that she’s older, she’d tell her younger self, “Don’t worry so much about everything! My motto is, if a person can do [something], I can do it.”

Geena and her family. (Photo Credit: Getty Images)

Don’t Give Up

When talking about This Changes Everything and gender equality in the era of #MeToo, she said, “The hurdle hasn’t gone away, but we are due for the next women’s movement and we’re going to start seeing the change happen.” 

Love Your Age

“I think it’s fantastic getting older,” Geena said. “The older I get, the more I like how I look. My looks have yet to peak!”

For more on Geena Davis, pick up the latest issue of Closer Weekly, on newsstands now — and be sure to sign up for our newsletter for more exclusive news!