Los Angeles, Sep 9 (IANS): Actress Reese Witherspoon is getting real about maintaining friendships with the passage of time, saying that people need to start ‘editing’ their friendships once they reach 40, in regards to how she maintains her own connections in the present day.

The ‘Legally Blonde’ star, 47, spoke at a conference in Boston and opened up about how she cultivates her inner circle.“Editing. Edit your friendships,” Witherspoon told NBC News Daily anchor Zinhle Essamuah at HubSpot's annual Inbound gathering, according to People.

“Everybody out there over 40 knows. If you aren’t adding to my life, get the heck outta my life. My grandma used to say people are radiators or drains. Stick with radiators,” the ‘American Psycho’ actress added.

Talking about how she has coped with rejection, Witherspoon admitted that she became familiar with the concept at a very young age, which made it easier for her to fathom it and deal with it over time.

She said: “Rejection was such an early piece of my life that I learned a long time ago that other people's opinions of me are none of my business. Other people's opinions of you, and everyone's gonna have an opinion, doesn't matter.”

She went on to add that she lives on her own terms, which makes her feel liberated, making her life a whole lot easier and better.

“I really don't care what anybody thinks. I'm gonna do my work anyway. I'm gonna date whoever I want, go hang out with a friend nobody likes. When you release that feeling of other people's opinions crushing you or holding you down, you're free. You’re totally free,” the Oscar winner said.

In August, Witherspoon settled her divorce with Jim Toth after 12 years of marriage. The former couple shares a son, Tennessee, 10. The 'Walk the Line' actress also shares two children with ex-husband Ryan Phillippe — daughter Ava, 23, and son Deacon, 19.