Gwyneth Paltrow - Instyle Cover 2012

Gwyneth Paltrow rocks the cover ofInStyle‘s October 2012 issue, on newsstands September 21.
Here is what the 39-year-old actress had to share with the mag:

On turning 40 and what she’s learned: “I’m taking stock and really looking at everything. I’m trying to accept myself. There’s a Rumi poem, “The Guest House,” about welcoming in all aspects of yourself: The dark, the light, the jealous, the happy. Let them all in. But know that you’re not defined by any single one of them. I’ve become much more serious after experiencing all the ups and downs of life—heartbreak, the death of people I love…These days I feel pretty grounded.”
On why she continues to work so hard: “I’m hard on myself, so I’m working on shifting perspective toward self-acceptance, with all my flaws and weaknesses. The positive thing that drives me is a curiosity and momentum. The negative is a need to validate myself or feel special.”
On her kids: “When Apple was born, she had the hugest blue eyes. I looked into them, and she was looking at me, and I felt like, You are here to teach me everything. After [Moses] was born I had postpartum depression. It was a difficult time, and because of that I believe I have an extra empathy for him, and he for me.”
On her diet: “I was very strict for a while. I was macrobiotic for a couple of years, then I got pregnant and just ate ice cream. What I’ve learned is I want to enjoy my life, and food is a big part of it. I love to cook and feed people. I cook every day. I [indulge] but I don’t like sweets. My indulging is a fresh baguette with cheese and a glass of red wine or French fries and fried zucchini. Or a turkey burger.”
For more from Gwyneth, visit InStyle.com!