Lori Loughlin Gets Candid About Positivity, Forgiveness & Moving Forward (EXCLUSIVE)

With her easygoing nature and bright smile, Lori Loughlin, 59, has graced the small screen as sweet, positive characters for nearly 40 years — including Rebecca “Aunt Becky” Katsopolis on Full House (and its Netflix sequel, Fuller House), Abigail Stanton on Hallmark’s When Calls the Heart and as the inspirational lead of various faith-filled movies on Great American Family.

MUST-READ: "Oh My Lanta," It’s the ‘Full House’ Cast: Catch Up With the Stars!

And Lori has one powerful trait in common with all the women she’s portrayed: resilience.

“Every day, we’re met with different obstacles. But, for me, it’s like that song says, ‘I get knocked down, but I get up again,’” Lori tells FIRST for Women weekly in an exclusive cover interview — one of her first since 2019. “Nobody said life was going to be a breeze; we all make mistakes, but the important thing is to persevere.”

Get your FIRST for Women with Lori's full interview!

And indeed, Lori has persevered. This past March, she earned rave reviews after making a hilarious guest appearance on Curb Your Enthusiasm, poking fun at herself and parodying real-life drama.

Here, FIRST shares a sneak peak of Lori's candid, open-hearted interview and what she had to say about resilience, bouncing back from mistakes and navigating all of life's ups and downs.

FIRST for Women (FFW): You've faced a lot the last few years, what's your secret to overcoming challenges?

Lori Loughlin: Every day we’re met with different obstacles, but it’s all in how you approach things. For me, it’s just persevering and as an actress, I hear “no” a lot, so I just have to be myself and persevere and try not to let in negativity.

My advice is to just keep moving forward. Everyone has good times and bad times. That’s life. I think you just have to pick yourself up. Nobody said life was going to be a breeze. There’s beauty in life, but there’s also hardship in life.

FFW: What are your feelings about forgiveness?

Lori Loughlin: Actually, I try to be a forgiving person. I’m not one to hold onto stuff. Stuff happens to everyone. We’ve all been in positions to ask for forgiveness but to ask for it, you have to learn and know how to give forgiveness, too.

My family wasn’t one to hold grudges. I didn’t grow up in a household where if you made a mistake, you weren’t forgiven. No one is perfect, we all make mistakes. So I was always told to let stuff go. And I think for your own health, you have to let things go because you can’t hang on to negativity. Life’s too short.

MUST-READ: Expert Advice: How Do I Let Go of a Grudge and Embrace Forgiveness?

FFW: How do you handle negative people?

Lori Loughlin: It isn’t always easy to put your best foot forward. But I think it starts with being kind. If you meet someone and they’re having a bad day or are a little prickly, rather than going toe to toe with that person, or feeling negative I try to meet them in a different way.

I always try to consider what other people might be going through — and to think before I speak. I try to take a moment if a person is acting up and say, “Wait a minute… I don’t know their whole story.”

FFW: What inspires your self-confidence?

Lori Loughlin: I’m not always so confident [Laughs]. But I do think maybe it’s due to my upbringing. My mom has always instilled a lot of positivity and encouragement. She’s always been a really big cheerleader for me and I think that’s helpful to have a parent or parents like that. So I would say at my core, my parents gave me my self-confidence and my faith in myself.

FFW: What are you passionate about these days?

Lori Loughlin: It’s always my family and my children. As for activities, I’m passionate about golf. I enjoy getting outside in the fresh air and spending time with friends. I’m terrible at golf but it’s a nice way to relax, reset and get away from the cellphone and emails.

My handicap is pretty high — 22 or something around that. I play too often and too year-round to have such a high handicap. Last week I played quite a bit and this week I played in a tournament. And then there are weeks that go by that I don’t play at all. I’ve been working a little bit here and there.

FFW: How do you relieve stress?

Lori Loughlin: It’s all about taking the time to be at home and maybe not do anything. That’s number one. Sitting back and watching a Harlan Coben mystery on Netflix is great too. They’re just easy and not a big commitment to watch.

We also have the Golf Channel on a lot at our house. That’s relaxing to watch or just hear. And I’m also early to bed, early to rise. I get about eight hours of sleep. I’m asleep by 9 or 10 o’clock at the latest. When you’re sleeping, that’s when the body is healing and doing all its good work.

MUST-READ: 13 of the Best Mystery Series on Netflix, Ranked — Perfect For Slashing Stress!

FFW: What are your favorite beauty buys?

Lori Loughlin: If I’m on the go, I do a tinted moisturizer, a little concealer, a little mascara and a little lip balm. A tinted moisturizer gives you a little glow and makes you look healthier. I just picked up one from Hourglass. I read that Julianne Moore was using it and she always looks good.

MUST-READ: Julianne Moore Young: Rare Must-See Photos of Hollywood’s Best Before She Got Her Start

I’m also liking those Nude Stix where you just put a little color on. It’s like a creamy blush that you put on your lips and you can also add color to your cheeks.

I love a nude lip — I'm not a fan of red on me, but I like it on other people. I’d rather do a smoky eye and a nude lip color. So, for me, I like some mascara, eyeliner and shadow. I can do basic makeup but when I need glamorous makeup, I have a professional do that for me.

FFW: Your Great American Family movie A Christmas Blessing was inspired by Project Angel Food and your volunteer work with them. Can you speak a little about that?

Lori Loughlin: Yes, we came up with the idea for the story partly because I do volunteer work for Project Angel Food. The organization helps so many people and it really feeds your own soul to help others. Project Angel Food was actually started in the '80s by Marianne Williamson when the AIDS epidemic was happening.

Now, the organization has expanded so much. I do deliveries in the morning, drop food off and check in on people. It’s just been great and one of the most rewarding experiences. I love doing it.

FFW: You have spoken a lot about your faith, do you think you have your own guardian angel?

Lori Loughlin: I do. It’s a feeling. I don’t know how to describe it. It could be my father, it could be my grandmother, it could be my grandfather. I just feel there’s a higher power looking out for all of us or carrying us through the tough times.

FFW: How would you describe the woman you are today?

Lori Loughlin: I’m kind and I’m strong. And open — open to life, open to experiences. And I’m grateful. So I’d say I'm strong, grateful, open and kind.

Read more of Lori's exclusive interview in the newest issue of FIRST for Women — now weekly! — now on sale at your local grocery stores and Walmart, or order your copy online.