How to tune out haters, and when to take them on. How to let bygones truly be bygones. How to make yourself a priority without feeling (too) guilty.
When life hits a pothole, you can wince and wait for it to pass — or you can pull a Hilary Duff. She’s found her balance as a working single mom, and discovered an unexpected well of inner strength and wisdom that you’re gonna want to access too. You’ll see.
Lately, Hillary Duff has been writing a daily gratitude list in a little notebook. “I’m kind of addicted,” admits the actress and singer, 29, over lunch outside at a laid-back café in Studio City, CA. Most of her entries have been about Luca, 5, her son, whose custody she shares with ex-husband Mike Comrie. “My last one was, ‘I’m grateful for the skip in Luca’s step.'”
That journal is just one part of Hilary’s attempt to nd the right balance of work, family, and time for herself. “As I get older, I feel more comfortable ‘leaning out,'” she says. “I don’t need to cram every day full, because I can and because I’m capable. I have worked my whole life.” That’s no exaggeration: Hilary’s been earning a paycheck since the age of 6, when she danced with a touring ballet company and began appearing in TV commercials. Two years later she moved from Texas to Los Angeles, growing up on sets like the Disney Channel’s Lizzie McGuire. She’s also made five studio albums, and this April begins filming the fourth season of her TV Land series Younger.
Yet despite her years and years in the spotlight, she’s weirdly down-to-earth and, frankly, super girlfriend-y. After offering to run inside and grab my salad when it doesn’t appear with hers, Hilary gets honest about recent ups and downs that have made her stronger, and learning to give herself permission not to do it all. If you can use some lessons on finding breathing room in your own life, start here.