The comedian also opens up about finding her own happiness at 44.
Chelsea Handler is feeling content and is looking forward to the road ahead.
Donning a flowy white top and distressed denim jeans with a fresh peach manicure, the 44-year-old comedian glows on the cover of Health's March issue. Inside the magazine, she opens up about everything from finding her own happiness to what she's looking for in a future partner.
Asked to define happiness, Handler says it's "to be anxiety-free, ready for anything, and to have an optimistic outlook about what happens in your day. No matter what, you have to find the positive."
"For me, it was about finding moderation with everything in my life. I was always going 110 miles an hour," she continues. "Then I slowed down, went to therapy and actually listened to what the person sitting across from me was saying, which was, 'Slow the f**k down.' I had to learn to sit with my feelings, not run from them."
Easier said than done, of course, but Handler tells the outlet that right now, she is "happy."
"Like anybody, I struggle with insecurities and self-doubt. A lot of people tell me that I'm fearless. I don't feel fearless, but when I look back at the things I've done, I see what they're talking about," she says. "In those moments, I'm just driven by something that is inside of me -- it doesn't feel fearless to follow and pursue your instincts. I have a lot of fear about certain things; that's one of the ways I know the things I need to do."
Handler admits that one of those fears is being in a serious, long-term relationship, but it's something she's working on. "Now I am able to recognize fear as an incentive rather than as a roadblock," she shares.
"I have to be more open and less judgmental," she adds, of finding her future husband. "My thing is, like, if I see a belt that I don't like, you're out. If I see him wearing the wrong kind of shoes or if he has a weird walk -- see you later. I've always been judging people by things that are not reasonable to be judging them for. So my goal in finding somebody is just to be more open-minded."
Real-life relationships aside, Handler says she's also developed a healthier bond with food, admitting she had "terrible examples" of eating growing up.
"My mom always had an Almond Joy in her purse or nightstand. She always made a huge pot of macaroni and cheese as an afternoon snack. So I was all out of sorts when I moved to Los Angeles," she recalls. "I've basically experimented with every eating disorder there is. Luckily, I didn't do any major damage. Now I'm the healthiest I've ever been."
Handler credits therapy, meditation and marijuana as the "three things that really changed" her, and tells the outlet that because weed has had "such a positive impact" on her, she's launching her own line.
"I used to drink all the time. I thought I could handle my alcohol, but I didn't realize how much your body and your life changes when it's not in your life every day," she explains. "Now I'm not giving up drinking…I would never do that to people -- or to alcohol. But it's nice to wake up with clarity and to take a break from the bloat."
"I didn't think I was bloated until I didn't drink for a few weeks," she adds. "Then I was like, 'Whoa, look at my cheekbones and my abs.'"
Now, Handler says she gets up at 5 a.m. every day, and doesn't think about the hair of the dog. She's also eating less "s**t" -- no more french fry or cheeseburger cravings! -- because she's feeling better from not drinking excessively the previous day.
"I don't want to live like that," Handler confesses. "I'm in my 40s now, so I have to give a s**t about the way I look and actually take care of my health from the inside out."
"I'm doing everything I can in my power just to remain youthful. I want to be strong and vibrant. I want to be a force of nature," she continued. "There are so many benefits that come your way from living a healthier lifestyle. Obviously, I am not the first person in the world to discover this. But I feel much better all around. I feel balanced and grounded now."
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