Teri Hatcher Celebrates Her 59th Birthday with an Inspiring Realization Jane Fonda Had on the Same Occasion

Teri Hatcher is hoping to follow in the footsteps of Jane Fonda as she celebrates her 59th birthday.

On Friday, the Desperate Housewives alum reshared of a clip of Fonda, 85, discussing her decision to embrace “intentional living” at age 59.

“Pretty great advice to start my 59th year! Thanks @janefonda,” she wrote on her Instagram Story.

In the TikTok clip from a recent interview on the Absolutely Not podcast, the Book Club star explained, “At 59, I decided in order to know where I want to go for those last 30 years and how I want to end up, I have to figure out where I’ve been.” 

“[I] didn’t want to be like Christopher Columbus, who didn’t know where he was going when he left, didn’t know where he was when he got there, didn’t know where he’d been when he got back,” she told host Heather McMahan.

“Then, I just started to be very intentional. You know, it’s like intentional living,” she continued. “I want to get better. I want to be a better person. I want her to know that I love her. I want her, you know, just the things that you want to get done so you won’t have the regrets and it led to me being a pretty happy 86 year old."

The Supergirl actress also thanked her 26-year-old Emerson Tenney for the “birthday wishes” on her Instagram story.

“Children are really our truest reflection on time,” she wrote alongside a reshared throwback photo of her carrying Emerson. “I don’t FEEL 23 years older than when this photo was taken but I am.” 

“I know concretely that I’ve shared 26 years with this most beautiful human & I’m so grateful for my experience as a mom and for being alive on this amazing planet,” she added. “I look forward to my years to come, bringing with me the wisdom of age, and creating the best I’m capable of each day.”

She also reshared a more recent red carpet photo alongside her daughter, writing, “26 years later….Love you Em…Best part of my life. For me, my birthday is all about gratitude And man am I grateful!”

Back in 2019, Hatcher opened up to PEOPLE about aging gracefully in the entertainment industry.

“Aging is not for the faint of heart, especially in Hollywood,” she said at the time. “But I enjoy where I am. I feel strong, I feel good. It’s liberating!”

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“I’ve raised my daughter, I’ve had hit shows, I’ve won awards,” she added. “And I don’t have to look at my career the same way. It’s liberating to take care of yourself and it’s liberating to care about the things that are important to you.”