SNL's Cecily Strong Shares Her Dos and Don'ts for a Happy Life

I know how many free live shows there are because I've been to—and performed in—so many. I remember as a kid in Chicago going to every Chicago Jazz Festival and Blues Festival, listening to music and stuffing my face with Malnati's pizza. This summer I happened upon a concert at Hudson River Park in New York City and danced like a dummy to Thao and the Get Down Stay Down. The world lets us do this stuff—without charge, which is insane. Not even water is always free these days. Take advantage when things are.

DON'T take a shower; do a long bath—like, pruning long.

There could be some weird psychological womb significance here, but all I know is I'm at the height of comfort and luxury in a warm bath. I was lucky enough to grow up with a bathtub as a kid, but after leaving high school, I was stuck in apartments without tubs. So instead I'd turn on the hot shower and just sit on the shower floor. I may have looked like that disturbing scene from The Crying Game, but I was in heaven.

DO get a workout in.

I can't tell you how much I hate exercise. I hate the act. I hate the culture. I hate the people who talk about loving it. Gym people are from a different world than I am. But I have to throw it in here because the feeling I get after exercising is way more amazing than I'd like to admit. I feel more confident. Plus I have crazy anxiety, and sometimes a 20-minute Jillian Michaels DVD workout hurts the emotional stress right out of me. (Poor Jillian. I've called her every bad name in the book.)

DON'T underestimate the feel-good power of lashes.

Falsies are the best new (shallow) addition to my life! I had never worn lashes before SNL. I didn't want to look "fake," even though I'd been wearing Spanx and lightly padded bras forever. Then I wore them for a sketch, and ever since, I'm always like, Give me a lash! So go, enjoy a lash, they'll make you feel a thousand times better-looking.

DO hire a pro to clean your place—once. Life changing!

I'm a messy person. And the more stressed I get, or the more hectic my schedule gets, the messier my apartment gets. So even while making no money in Chicago, I'd save up to treat myself to a much-needed once-a-year housecleaning. It's such a relief to have a clean place.

DON'T be a yes man. Say no.

I know I'm where I am in life only because of the support of people around me. (When Amy Poehler sent me flowers, I sobbed!) And I try to give back whenever possible. But you can't say yes to every favor people ask of you. It's not fair to anyone, especially you, if you stretch yourself too thin. This past year and a half, I've had to learn to start saying no. It made me feel like a jerk at first, but now I feel freer and more available to help with the stuff that is most important to me.