Zooey Deschanel Covers 'Self' July 2011

Zooey Deschanel shows off her baby blues on the cover of Self magazine’s July 2011 issue, on newsstands Thursday (June 16) in New York and Los Angeles.

Here’s what the 31-year-old actress had to share:

On getting to know yourself: “Most people spend too much time comparing themselves to others….Get to know yourself a little bit better. Stop and ask yourself a few questions, and think about you.”

On why she works out: “A lot of people work out to be skinny. That’s so boring, and it seems like a depressing goal for a modern woman. I work out to be healthy and because I like it. I do sports or classes, things that engage my mind. If you’re active, fitness will follow – and probably a good figure, too.”

On advice she’d give her former self: “If I could give my teenaged self any advice, it would be ‘Calm down!’ In fact, if I could relive one day of my life, it would be the worst day of seventh grade, just so I could appreciate how much better life is now.”

Zooey also joked with Self staffers that “if this acting thing doesn’t work out,” she could be a Snow White impersonator at Disneyland!

FYI: In her hula hooping picture, Zooey is wearing a dress by Shoshanna.

For more from Zooey, visit Self.com!