‘Little House on the Prairie’: Melissa Gilbert Is ‘Grateful’ and Living Life on Her Own Terms
Little House on the Prairie star Melissa Gilbert is living a life free from the pressures of unrealistic beauty expectations. She decided to age on her own terms and enjoy her time. Here’s what Gilbert had to say about aging gracefully.
Melissa Gilbert felt pressure to look good on ‘Dancing with the Stars’
Gilbert says appearing on Dancing With the Stars once caused her to become focused on looking perfect. She became self-conscious about her body. She tells People she felt pressure to appear flawless.
“The pressure that I put on myself was to stay as young as I could for as long as I could and remain an ingénue as long as I could, which is impossible,” she tells the publication. Gilbert says she became more concerned about how she looked while appearing on Dancing With the Stars. She says the show “was the peak of Botox, fillers, spray tan, hair extensions, big boobs. That was the epitome of all the stuff I’m the opposite of at this point.”
Melissa Gilbert is the founder of the Modern Prairie website
Gilbert decided after starring on the reality show that she wanted to change her approach to beauty. Her goal is to not only look good but also feel good. Gilbert wants older women to feel confident and beautiful. She started her website, Modern Prairie, in May 2022. Her goal is to provide a positive space for older women.
“There’s this space for women my age that just doesn’t exist or is so discounted,” Gilbert tells Better Homes & Gardens. “We’re going through such changes in our lives, not just physically but emotionally and mentally. Our kids are leaving, and we’re moving from mom into grandmother. We’re reevaluating our jobs and what we want to do with this last third of our lives and dealing with our bodies growing older.”
Gilbert continues, “How do we navigate all of this in the current climate? So I wanted to include products that are beautiful, that enhance our lives, and that we want to surround ourselves with.”
Melissa Gilbert doesn’t like the word ‘anti-aging’
Gilbert says she stays away from the word “anti-aging.” The Modern Prairie website is a positive place where getting older is seen as a natural part of life instead of something to fear.
“We are absolutely against the word anti-aging—because it doesn’t happen,” Gilbert tells Better Homes & Gardens. “We are all aging. The question is how you’re going to age. Are you going to fight, fight, fight, or are you going to embrace all of the changes that are coming in?”
Gilbert adds, “We like to say instead, aging gracefully, aging gratefully. I’m so grateful. I’m so grateful that I know what my body needs. And yeah, it’s not as bendy and bouncy as it used to be, but it’s still mine and it’s serving me beautifully. So, I’m grateful.”
Follow Sheiresa Ngo on Twitter.
