Ellen Pompeo Says She Embraces Aging as a 'Gift,' Reveals Her Beauty Secrets

You can watch the years go by, or you can live.

That's the message Grey's Anatomy star Ellen Pompeo tried to get across during a recent shoot with Philosophy for the brand's new #CoolAger campaign, where she shared her positive outlook on getting older.

"Everyone always talks about the bad side of aging," the 46-year-old actress revealed. "But aging is a gift, that not everybody is given the privilege of."

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"Any woman knows -- the older we get, the more we're capable of," she added. "You have to embrace aging ... because nothing stays the same."

Indeed, Pompeo cautioned, "If you try to hang onto something you can't possibly hang on to, you're setting yourself up for disappointment."

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Pompeo shared that it's what's on the inside that's important, and that's what she aims to take care of in her daily routine.

"My beauty routine is a lot of water, a lot of sleep," she explained. "Very careful about what I eat. I drink a lot of green juice and I exercise."

"I meditate," she added. "Just try to have a positive attitude toward everything."

"It's how you feel inside that's gonna radiate outward," Pompeo continued. "I really believe that."

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The actress and mother of two has starred on Grey's for 13 seasons now, a decision she told People had everything to do with being realistic about getting older.

"My decision to stay on Grey’s was based solely on age," she told the publication. "At 33, I was wise enough to know my clock was already ticking in Hollywood."

Dealing with the film industry's unrealistic standards for women and aging loomed over Pompeo, she says, due to her "super late" start.

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"I probably would have done my time, then gone out to search for other things," she said, but she "was definitely aware of how challenging it would be to find other roles in my late 30s and early 40s."

And she did admit that the ABC show's longevity has been the hardest part.

"Watching myself age on TV is miserable," she revealed. "To be honest, it’s the toughest part of my job."

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Still, she continued, it's counterproductive to worry about getting older.

"It’s a natural thing that we all do, but I don’t think it’s the healthiest thing," she shared. "The older you get, the more you realize life isn’t about your looks. Everyone ages, and it’s okay."

Watch the video below for more of Pompeo's thoughts, including how she slammed critics in the media for slamming her thinner frame.