Amanda Seyfried, 24, is cute as a button, talented as all get-out, and somehow manages to stay sweet in the whirlwind that is Hollywood. The actress spoke with Self magazine about struggling to keep a positive self-image when you’re in the entertainment industry.

Even though Amanda is on top as far as up-and-coming actresses are concerned, the star of Letters to Juliet and the series Big Love still has moments of intense insecurities. When asked if she was insecure about her acting or her looks, she answered, “Both…recently I’ve been playing the romantic lead,and in order to be a romantic lead, you’ve kind of got to be pretty in my opinion. Clearly, some people think I can play the attractive girl. That is still a mystery to me.”

You silly girl! You are definitely pretty; take my word for it.

But how does Amanda get over her insecurities? “If we’re so busy trying to change ourselves, especially aesthetically,” she says, “we’re going to miss out on more important things. I used to live and eat and sleep by an exercise schedule, and I just couldn’t enjoy myself if I didn’t exercise. And then I realized, what a waste of time!…It’s important in the grand scheme of things to keep in shape, but if you’re always worrying about imperfections and how you look, these things aren’t going to change for the most part. The thing you can change is the way you perceive.”

Wise advice coming from a woman who is well beyond her years.

But what about the rest of us out here in the world who are dealing with our own body images? Amanda offers sage advice: “It’s not as bad as you think. You are your harshest critic. If you don’t like your body, you can do something about it. It’s in your control and that should be a positive feeling.”

I think we can all learn a little something from Amanda’s outlook. If you want to change something, find the motivation to do so!

(Image Source: FanPop!)