Eva Longoria Tells Younger Self 'You Look Just Like the Son You'll Have Someday' (Exclusive)

Eva Longoria marvels at the resemblance between her younger self and son Santiago in PEOPLE's 2023 Beautiful Issue

Eva Longoria has an important reason for not wanting to change a thing about her younger self.

For PEOPLE's 2023 Beautiful Issue, the actress, 47, penned a letter to herself as a little girl, where she shared how her farm upbringing would steel her for the ups and downs of fame.

The letter began by celebrating her appearance and marveling at how much she looked like son Santiago Enrique, 4, while she was growing up.

"Wow, you look just like the son you will have someday, Santiago (you'll call him Santi)," she writes. "Right now you're such a tomboy and love going barefoot and running around our ranch with the chickens and your older sisters. I know you don't love doing your chores like washing the dishes and feeding the cows, but I promise they will help you become a successful adult as you grow up."

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Related:Eva Longoria Hugs Son Santiago, 4, as She Gets Glam in Rare Photo: 'Bond Like No Other'

The Desperate Housewives alum continues, "I don't want to say too much because I don't want to risk changing you, but I will tell you to fasten your seat belt. Life's going to be fun."

"Everything that's going to happen, the failure, the mistakes, the heartbreaks, the disappointments — it's all going to shape who you are," she concludes, adding, "Always value your self-worth. Make sure you check in with yourself, and never, ever forget that you add value to every situation and relationship you will ever have."

In October 2020, Longoria opened up about her parenting experience on an episode of Anna Faris' Unqualified podcast, saying that she's "never going to tell someone how to parent."

"I never want to be that person — to be on a podcast like, 'What I do is I put my son to bed at 7 because studies show that the brain ... ' Like, 'Oh my God, good for you. You go do that,' " said the actress. "I am in no way an expert of being a mom."

Longoria added that she's grateful to have "a village" of support and "a lot of help" with her son, in the form of her "huge family" who all assist with each other's children.

"I have an amazing husband who supports me, I have amazing sisters and I have amazing girlfriends who have kids the same age," she told Faris. "So we all chip in and get it done."

For more on Eva Longoria, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday, or subscribe here.

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Read the original article on People.