Debra Messing shares her resolutions and her philosophy about new beginnings in life.

Debra Messing didn't rest on her laurels when Will & Grace ended. She got busy with a new series and a new body (bye-bye, baby weight!).

In the January issue of Shape, Debra opens up about new beginnings and her philosophy of life. She reveals her strategies and some resolutions she hopes will make 2009 her healthiest and happiest year ever.

Stay true to your roots...

Eric McCormack, Debra's co-star on Will & Grace, once called her the most down-to-earth actress he knows. "That means the world to me," says Debra, who still considers all her co-workers from that series her "family." "I'd like to think I'm that way because of my upbringing. My parents taught us that everyone should be treated with respect, consideration, and dignity," says Debra. "The nicest thing my mother ever said about me is that she's proud of what a nice person I am." It's a quality that’s helped her as executive producer of her show. "In my new role, I'm the advocate for my fellow actors and the production departments."

...but stay willing to reinvent yourself

Growing up in Providence, Rhode Island, Debra always knew she wanted to be an actress. "We used to play Gilligan's Island," she recalls. "I wanted to be Ginger, but I was always Mary Ann. Deep inside, aren't we all?" Although her parents allowed her to pursue her dream, they also encouraged her to go to college. At New York University, she got her master's, met her future husband, and transformed herself from Debbie to Debra.

"You take your life in your hands if you call me Debbie today," she says, laughing. Her parents also instilled in her the importance of hard work. From standing on an assembly line making jewelry ("I was just like Lucy in the chocolate factory on I Love Lucy!) to catering events, Debra says it taught her the value of a dollar. "I'm very pragmatic now," she says. "I never assume I'm going to have a job in five years. Look at the economy!"

Discover two more important parts of Debra’s philosophy of life.