Reese Witherspoon is coming to understand that embracing vulnerability is a remarkable strength. The renowned star of “Big Little Lies” found herself overcome with emotions as she opened up about the personal hurdles she’s encountered in the past year.
Speaking at the Shine Away event organized by her company, Hello Sunshine, in Los Angeles on October 21, Witherspoon confessed her struggle to strike a balance beyond her work commitments. In a candid moment, she revealed, “I’ve always been the type of person who fills her schedule with constant busyness to stave off feelings of loneliness, nervousness, and restlessness.”
Despite Hollywood being a longstanding focus for her, she came to a profound realization, stating, “I came to the conclusion that this approach wasn’t sustainable for me. About a year ago, it hit me like a ton of bricks; I had been living like a robot, and the robot had finally malfunctioned. I cried, and I cried.”
Reese Witherspoon
Witherspoon went on to share that she reached out to her friend, Tracee Ellis Ross, to help her process this revelation. As she spoke, her vulnerability became evident, with the Oscar winner explaining, “It’s difficult for me to admit this to all of you, but I believe it’s crucial. We carry so much for so many others. My dear friend Cleo Wade recently composed a beautiful poem about being the glue that holds people’s lives together. Sometimes, you’re that glue for everyone, whether it’s in your career, as a mother, or a partner. But who is there to hold you together? This is something we must not forget.”
She revealed that reading Wade’s poem brought her to tears because she recognized that she had not been taking good care of herself and had not reached out to others for assistance.
Reese, the founder of Reese’s Book Club, who had previously disclosed her separation from husband Jim Toth in March, later discussed some of the lessons she has learned about herself over the past 30 years with the hope of inspiring others.
“I feel that I’ve gained a wealth of knowledge,” noted the 47-year-old, “because I put in the hard work in my early 20s, immersing myself in books and self-help resources, attending therapy sessions, and making a genuine effort to comprehend and forgive the broken aspects of myself and those instances where I felt like a failure because it was such a significant part of it.”
She concluded, “Rather than seeing it as a failure, I now view it as an opportunity to learn from those moments. I don’t place blame on others; I merely reward myself for the strength it took to endure the challenges that young Reese faced.”
