LIFE'S MILESTONES, EMOTIONAL ENDURANCE & GRATITUDE

with actress, activist, advocate and mom MARISKA HARGITAY

- DEANNA BARNERT

MARISKA HARGITAY recently celebrated her 60th birthday, 25 years of playing Olivia Benson on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, 20 years of marriage to former co-star Peter Hermann and 20 years of running her Joyful Heart Foundation. She also sent her 18-year-old son off to college and saw her two youngest become teens.

“It is exhausting,” she admits to FIRST with a laugh. “I’ve worked 15 hours a day for many years. It’s getting better, but I recently shot three shows in two weeks! It’s a lot to hold in your head, especially as this year has just been milestone after milestone for me.” With the holiday season making life even more hectic for all of us, Thanksgiving taps right into Mariska’s secret to enduring her most challenging days. “Through having the father and the mother that I had, I can power through anything,” she shares, referring to 1955 Mr. Universe Mickey Hargitay and actress Jayne Mansfield. “But the thing that really keeps me going is I understand just how lucky I am. I live in gratitude. I sit and think about how I’m just so thankful for the opportunities I’ve had and that I’m doing something I love, every day.” Read on for Mariska’s secrets to health, peace and bliss.

MY TRICK TO STAYING SHARP

Mind & body exercises