Angelina Jolie Credits Her Kids in Helping Re-Discover Her "True Self"

Angelina Jolie talked at length about how her kids helped her find her real purpose.

By Vannessa Jackson Nov 05, 2019 4:00 PMTags
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Time heals all. 

It seems fitting that Angelina Jolie would grace the this year's final issue of Harper's Bazaar. The star has come through a lot in the last few years and has been very open about her journey to healing and rebuilding her life. The actress and activist sat down with the magazine and shared her thoughts on everything from family to career. Including, how her young children played an integral role in helping her reclaim her peace of mind

"The part of us that is free, wild, open, curious can get shut down by life. By pain or by harm. My children know my true self, and they have helped me to find it again and to embrace it," she shared. "They have been through a lot. I learn from their strength. As parents, we encourage our kids to embrace all that they are, and all that they know in their hearts to be right, and they look back at us and want the same for us."

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Angelina has made it a point to be there for her kids in recent years, including them in press events, working on projects together and being their for their first days in college. Now, they're essentially doing the same for her. 

Although her family may know the real her, the same can't always be said for the general public. After more than three decades in the spotlight, Angelina still has to navigate the negative press and people who will never get where she's coming from. She revealed the one piece of inspiration that helps her get through it all.

"I have a tattoo, ‘A prayer for the wild at heart kept in cages.' I got it when I was 20," she shared. "I was with my mom one evening, and I was feeling lost. I was restless—always. I still am. We were driving to dinner, and she talked about spending time with Tennessee Williams and how much she loved his words. She told me he wrote that, about the wild at heart. We drove to a tattoo parlor, and I got it inked on my left arm. What she did for me that night was to remind me that the wild within me is alright and a part of me."

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The actress revealed that when it comes to the next year of her life, finding her true self and living authentically is not only something she wishes for herself, but for everyone around her

"My dream for everyone in 2020 is to remember who they are and to be who they are regardless of what might be disrupting their ability to be free," she shared. "If you feel you are not living your life fully, try to identify what it is or who it is that is blocking you from breathing. Identify and fight past whatever is oppressing you. That takes many forms, and it is going to be a different fight for everyone."