Smart. Sophisticated. Bold. These few words accurately describe her Priyanka Chopra Jonas, actor, producer and businessman. She is best known for her work in Indian cinema and the American entertainment industry, but also for her relationship with beloved singer Nick Jonas, to whom she is married. In short, Priyanka Chopra Jonas is the epitome of Hollywood stardom.

After this brief description, it’s no surprise that she recently chose to partner with Marshalls Good Stuff Social Club, an initiative designed to inspire and uplift women. The partnership was sealed with a two-day event in Manhattan that included exciting networking opportunities and panels with tips on how to make more money, stand up for yourself at work and, in general, succeed.

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“My partnership with the company aims to uplift women. The aim of this event is to build community and talk about your dreams, what you want to be, your aspirations and your fearsChopra Jonas told StyleCaster. “The world is in a very uncertain place right now, so creating a community is just great so that participants can not just talk, but grow».

“Over the coming weeks, we’ll be sharing digital content to further support women on their journey to achieving the life they wantsaid Victoria Shonkoff, vice president and chief marketing officer of Marshalls.

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StyleCaster spoke to Priyanka Chopra Jonas about her ambitions, goals, dreams, success and, ultimately, what it means to live well. The answers he gave are of real interest:

-SC: Is there a Marshalls memory you cherish?

PCJ: I was in my 30s and had just moved to America. Moving to a new country as an adult is difficult. I had no friends and surroundings. I felt lonely, so I wanted to find a hobby. One day, I stopped at a Marshalls and thought I’d find something. I remember buying an easel and brushes. I tried to draw – it didn’t go well. But that experience of going there and seeing what the possibilities were was something I really needed at that time. It is such a fruitful memory.

-SC: You mentioned that you were in your 30s then. Is there a lesson you learned from that decade and a piece of advice you’d like to share?

PCJ: It’s much better than 20. 40 is even better. It just gets better if you let it. What I’ve learned now that I’ve left my 30s behind is that it’s a decade where you’re old enough to know better, but also young enough at the same time. I love the freedom this brings.

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-SC: What does good life mean to you?

PCJ: It’s very different for everyone. For me, the good life is always surrounded by my family. Feeling good about myself starts with feeling good at home. This has been true my whole life. Feeling good about myself and having confidence and self-esteem, that was also very important to me. Anyone can have an ambition, but you have to ask yourself what the purpose is, because the good life comes from it.

-SC: There are times when it’s hard to have self-esteem and self-confidence. What do you do on days when you feel worse, to give yourself a boost again?

PCJ: Let yourself feel it. Don’t be hard on yourself. Sometimes I feel like I’m required to be okay no matter what’s going on in my life. However, this is not the reality. I got to a point – again in my 30s – where I didn’t fight it. If I was in a bad mood, I would fake it. I would do my job professionally. But it doesn’t go that way. When you push it under the rug too often—which many do—that’s when it becomes too big to deal with.

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SC: Part of what you’ll be discussing as part of the Marshalls Good Stuff Social Club is financial planning. What have you learned about money?

PCJ: Being financially independent is very important. Keeping a little for yourself and saving for a hard day is something my mother always taught me. You save for a difficult day and then think about your expenses. You earn for your future and then pay your bills. Then there’s the money for whatever else you want to do. Start by saving and then spend. It’s a trick I still use.