Actress and author Jamie Lee Curtis speaks to an audience of thousands of women at the 25th annual Central California Women’s Conference Tuesday morning.

Curtis talked about the story of her career as an actress, her newfound passion for writing children’s books, and how women should take pride in themselves, despite what the media says or portrays them to be. She often brought the crowd to a roaring laughter, but also touched on more serious topics.

Curtis discouraged women from resorting to plastic surgery to “fix” their appearance, citing the Serenity Prayer — “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” She urged women to not worry about the things that they have no control over, like their genetics, but to turn that energy into something positive and productive instead. Not to be labeled a hypocrite, Curtis removed her jacket and proudly showed off her own sagging arm muscle — something she said no amount of pushups could help.

The day-long conference, spanning multiple downtown Fresno venues, also included nearly 30 workshops and guest speakers, a marketplace with over 100 vendors, and a “community corner,” featuring local non-profit booths.