Chelsea Handler explains how ‘therapy, meditation and weed’ changed her life

Ask Chelsea Handler to define happiness, and here’s what she’ll tell you: “It’s being anxiety-free, ready for anything, and having an optimistic view of what’s going on in your day.” Either way, you need to find the positive. If you’ve followed Chelsea over the past year, that answer makes perfect sense.

Last April, the 45-year-old published Life Will Be the Death of Me… and you too! This is his sixth book and by far the most personal. In it, the actress confronts the trauma of losing her older brother at the age of 9 and recounts her experience of taking therapy seriously for the first time. It is filled with the acerbic spirit of Chelsea, but it is also moving and touching.

The fodder for another bestselling book isn’t the only thing that all that soul-searching has given Chelsea. This seems to have had a major impact on his life, both personally and professionally. As far as her career goes, she’s returning to stand-up, where she hopes to imbue her act with some of the meaningful topics she covered in her book. She’s also working on releasing her own line of marijuana, which she says has helped her immensely – more on that later. When it comes to her personal life, Chelsea says she feels more grounded and content than she ever has before. Read on as she opens up about everything from her biggest fears to finally being ready for lasting love.

So are you happy?

Yes, I’m happy now. Like everyone else, I struggle with insecurity and self-doubt. Many people tell me that I am not afraid of anything. I don’t feel fearless, but when I think back to the things I’ve done, I see what they’re about. At times like these, I’m just driven by something that’s inside of me – he’s not fearless to follow and pursue his instincts. I am very afraid of certain things; it’s one of the ways I know what to do.

What were some of those fears?

I was afraid to go back to stand-up. I had taken such a long break. I didn’t think I would ever want to do it again. Then I thought, “If I go back, will anyone want to see me play?” I’m also afraid of being in a long and serious relationship. Now I am able to recognize fear as an incentive rather than a hindrance.

You finally decided to return to stand-up.

I was on my last book tour for about four months, and I was being interviewed by people in different cities. I was telling stories from the book, and they were really funny. Some of them were very moving and really touched the audience. I thought, “Oh, it’s a one-woman show. And then I thought, “No, it’s a stand-up show.” That’s what you’ve done your whole career. That’s exactly what you should be doing with such serious hardware. The book is about death, grief and loss. I think the thing people struggle the most with is not understanding that if you’re going through something, there’s a million other people going through the same thing. So you are never alone.

Have you always been good at eliminating the things in your life that don’t make you happy?

No. It took me a long time to figure it out. Sometimes I interrupt people too soon, and sometimes I wait too long. I had to find a happy medium. For me, it was about finding moderation with everything in my life. I was always going 110 miles an hour. Then I slowed down, went to therapy, and listened to what the person sitting across from me was saying, which was, “Slow down. I had to learn to sit with my feelings, not run away from them.

What prompted you to consult a therapist?

What helped me realize how important it was to go out and talk about my grief and pain from my childhood was [when] my psychiatrist explained to me [that] until you cleanse your own wounds, you are of no use to anyone. You can’t go around the world trying to be that great person if you’re not even compassionate to yourself. For me, that was motivation enough to get healthy.

At first, was the therapy difficult?

It was uncomfortable. I tried very hard in therapy not to cry. So what [my therapist] caught me off guard one day, and I cried. After that it got easier. I now understand that vulnerability is not a weakness, that vulnerability is a strength.

If you had to sum up what therapy has done for you, what would it be?

I’m calm – and that leads to being more decent and being kinder. This calm is what I needed. I was still at 10. At first, with therapy, I overcorrected. I went to zero. But eventually, your personality returns. Now, with all the tools I have, I understand how to be myself without being over the top, bossy, or in people’s faces all the time. I’m much more thoughtful now, I think.

You dedicated your most recent book to your future husband. What will it take to find this person?

I need to be more open and less judgmental. My thing is, if I see a belt I don’t like, you’re out. If I see him wearing the wrong kind of shoes or having a weird gait, see you later. I’ve always judged people on things it wasn’t reasonable to judge them for. So my goal in finding someone is just to be more open-minded.

You cast a line of weeds. Why?

Weed has had such a positive impact on me. Therapy, meditation and weed – those are the three things that really changed me. I drank all the time. I thought I could handle my alcohol, but I didn’t realize how much your body and your life change when it’s not in your life every day. Now I can’t stop drinking… I would never do that to people—or alcohol. But it’s nice to wake up with clarity and take a break from the bloat. I didn’t think I was bloated until I didn’t drink for a few weeks. Then I was like, “Whoa, look at my cheekbones and abs. »

Was there a turning point that caused you to reduce your alcohol consumption?

Well, I like to get up early. Now I get up at 5 a.m. every day. I think the binge drinking cycle for me was, like, drinking leads to drinking more the next day because you feel like s—. Then you eat like s — because your cravings are bad and you want fries and cheeseburgers. I don’t want to live like this. I’m in my 40s now so I have to worry about my appearance and take care of my health from the inside out.

So it’s about taking better care of yourself?

I do everything in my power to stay young. I want to be strong and dynamic. I want to be a force of nature. Vanity has a lot to do with it. I mean, let’s be honest. But when you get past that part, there are so many benefits that come with a healthier lifestyle. Of course, I’m not the first person in the world to find out. But I feel much better all around. I feel balanced and grounded now.

What drove you to weed?

With the legalization of cannabis came all those educational components that had been missing for so many years. I used to eat a weed cookie, and I was on a plane thinking I was at the movies. At the end of the movie, I get up to leave only to find that I’m actually on a plane. You can now microdose. Microdosing involves taking minimal amounts so as not to overdose on that THC feeling. Everyone comes up with different versions to treat people. I take a candy every night to sleep.

How often do you exercise?

Almost every day. I just like feeling strong, and now that’s part of my mental toughness. Sometimes when I work out I take a THC capsule to get into the zone. I also meditate every day.

What prompted you to start meditating?

Meditation has always irritated me, and people who talk about it irritate me. I tried several times with my psychiatrist. He made me short recordings and long recordings, then I was meditating. Sometimes I masturbated. They both start with m, and your brain lets you relax after each one, so who cares? Anyway, one day he told me to commit to three months of meditation. It’s been over a year now. I like it first thing in the morning because it sets you up for the day. Like, it sets your intention. Be nice, be patient, and don’t overreact. Nothing is really that important.

Do you have a healthy relationship with food?

No. I had a terrible relationship with food. I eat chocolate in the middle of the night. I’m horrible. I stand in my kitchen in front of my fridge and eat out of the fridge. I had terrible examples of eating growing up. My mom always had an Almond Joy in her purse or her bedside table. She always made a huge tub of macaroni and cheese as an afternoon snack. So I was in a bad mood when I moved to Los Angeles. I’ve basically experimented with every eating disorder out there. I’ve never bought into anything, which is fine for me not to cling to anything – I never see anything through. It’s hard to be a woman. I try to set a good example, but sometimes I’m not a good example.

Comment?

I took water pills for, like, 20 years. The pills somehow drain your fluids, so you [look] thinner and leaner. This has long been a problem. I took them much longer than I should have. Luckily, I didn’t do much damage. Now I am healthier than ever.

Where would you like to see yourself in five years?

I’ve never been a planner, but I’ve started to be more thought-oriented with what I do in my professional life – what I put out into the world. I don’t want to do things for paychecks. I want to do things because they are powerful and will inspire others.

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