Hayley Atwell has the best self-esteem advice

Even if you’re rocking a great red hat and some solid period garb, it’s hard to feel great about yourself when you’re being inundated with images of women like Peggy Carter (and Hayley Atwell, the actress who plays her) looking almost too perfect. But if Peggy herself has her way, you’ll come to ignore her and any other seemingly “ideal” gals and just focus on how great you look and are.

While speaking with Yahoo Canada at the 2015 CTV Upfronts in Toronto, Atwell, who plays Peggy for both the small screen (Marvel’s “Agent Carter,” Marvel’s “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D”) and big screen (the “Captain America” movies), shared her self-esteem secrets and they just involve you, you, and …. you.

Oh, and a certain important quote from her heroic alter ego.

“[Peggy] says, ‘I know my value. Anyone’s else opinion doesn’t really matter.’” Atwell explains. “My mum always used to say to me, ‘Try to be independent of the good and the bad opinions of other people,’ so I think that’s a great thing. It means you can free yourself from what other people think of you so it doesn’t define who you are as a person. “

Atwell has been all about not comparing yourself to others recently, responding to a fan asking her “Why are you so beautiful?” in reference to a highly edited photo with “Why am I so Photoshopped?”

And she wants to keep this confidence-boosting parade going, as she encourages fans of all ages, shapes and sizes to follow a piece of advice her dad once offered to her and she lives by to this day.  

“A thing my father always used to say to me is ‘Every age has its beauty, So it’s kind of finding an acceptance with whoever you are at that moment in time and kind of loving your faults.”

She adds, “One thing I love about getting older is I feel more comfortable in my own skin and I don’t care as much about what people think of me. It’s a very liberating and powerful place to be.”

Hey, if anyone knows about liberation and power, it’s Peggy Carter.