Gwyneth Paltrow has opened up about how ageing has taught her how self-love doesn’t happen immediately, and active work towards it is the only way to achieve it.
In an interview with People, the Goop founder revealed that despite posing in the nude on Instagram to celebrate her 48th birthday last year, she continues to struggle with body image issues and how age will continue to change her appearance.
“Unfortunately, we’re always looking at ourselves with a critical eye,” she told the publication. “I would love to get to a place where I don’t do that anymore. I want to show up for myself in a more loving way, because it’s all going south from here! There’s nothing we can do about it.”
A mother of two, Apple and Moses, Paltrow explained that she began to notice changes in her body after giving birth to her first child 17 years ago.
“I was just coming out of my 20s when you’re in that sexy, young girl phase,” she says, adding, “And then you’re like, ‘Well, how do I reconcile who I am now with that?’ For me, it was really about giving myself time to be a mother, and letting my body dictate where it was going.”
As part of Paltrow’s journey to self-acceptance, she chose to reject unrealistic standards for how her body should look or the rate at which it ages.
“We have all these expectations. Some women feel when they have kids that they don’t feel sexual because their body isn’t back yet,” she said. “But it’s like, ‘Who said our bodies have to look a certain way?’ It’s hard as you age and change. But it’s about bringing a wider spectrum of acceptance.”
And now, Paltrow’s journey to acceptance continues to shift. “For me, as I go through the ageing process and really start it, I realize it’s less about, ‘Oh, I have this wrinkle, am I going to fix it or not?’ and more, ‘Do I feel vibrant?'”
“I am focusing more on the fundamentals of wellness, like meditation, hydration, nutrient-dense foods and not having tons of alcohol, which I had way too much of during the pandemic!” the actress notes.
Continuing, she concludes: “I would never want to go back to my 20s, or even my 30s for that matter […] I know myself, I like myself and I am so grateful for the wisdom that comes with age.”
An element of Paltrow’s journey to accept her ever changing physique is explored on her latest Netflix series, Sex, Love & Goop, that sees five couples navigate a range of topics, from intimacy to past trauma. Alongside Paltrow, health experts work with said couples to utilise techniques and help their sexual relationships bloom.
Curious? Sex, Love & goop is set to premiere on Netflix on October 21, 2021 here.
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