Chelsea Handler says she's 'more confident' as she approaches 50: 'My life is exactly what I hoped it would be'

• Chelsea Handler, who turns 50 on February 25, isn't afraid of growing older.
• "My life is exactly what I hoped it would be — it's more than I hoped it would be," she told Parade.
• The comedian says she hopes to try different things in the coming year, such as pursuing acting.

Chelsea Handler is all ready to celebrate turning 50.

In an interview with Parade posted on Friday, the comedian — whose birthday is on February 25 — shared that she was excited for all that her 50s would offer her.

Although the people around her expect her to be slightly bummed, she's readily embracing growing older.

"My life is exactly what I hoped it would be — it's more than I hoped it would be. I had no idea what the possibilities were or that I could live a life like this and feel so free," Handler told Parade.

With age, she's learned to be more forgiving and less judgmental. She no longer sweats the small stuff either.

As she approaches her 50th birthday, she's feeling "pretty into myself right now."

"It is true as you age, you become more confident, and I had a lot of confidence to begin with," she said. "But as far as being sexy, you free up as a woman, you know, when you hit your 40s and then you hit your 50s."

"There is a sexual awakening that happens, where you do not give a shit about how you look or how you are being seen or the cellulite you have on the backs of your legs," she continued.

Handler also hopes to try different things in the coming year, such as pursuing acting.

"I think I'm going to take the opportunity this year, instead of doing all the things I know I'm good at, to try and stretch my muscles a little bit more," she said. "I feel like 50 is a reset. Now I want to do all the things that I haven't done yet."

Looking back at her career and the life she's built for herself, Handler says she's proud of how far she has come.

Handler credits not having children or a husband with giving her time to focus on making future plans for herself.

"I get to do what I want, when I want," she added. "I don't really have to confer with anyone."

Handler isn't the only female celebrity who has spoken about embracing aging.

In August, Oprah Winfrey, 70, said on the "Today" show that she wasn't worried about getting older.

"I'm excited to make every number. I remember many, many years ago as a young girl, I had always thought that I would never make it to the 60s or 70s," Winfrey said.

During a November "Today" show interview, Lauren Sánchez, 55, said she never expected to have so much to look forward to at this point in her life.

"When I was 20, I thought, 'Oh my gosh, life is over at 50.' Let me tell you: It is not, ladies. It is not over," Sánchez said.

A representative for Handler did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent by Business Insider outside regular hours.