Meryl Streep broke her own record as the most-nominated actress in history with her recent 20th Oscar nomination. She attributes much of her success to her family and happily never felt like she had to sacrifice her career to raise her kids. Here are five things Meryl Streep has done to find success in her family, marriage and career.

Find balance and live in the moment

In an interview with Good Housekeeping Streep said, "Motherhood, marriage, it's a balancing act especially when you have a job that you consider rewarding. It's a challenge but the best kind of challenge."

Struggling to find the perfect balance of work, family and your spouse can be difficult. Streep said prioritizing your time will help you enjoy the journey along the way. She pursued a demanding career but also prioritized time to raise her children. Her long marriage and thriving family life is proof that balance can be found with a successful career.

Appreciate your spouse

Streep publicly thanked her husband, Don Gummer, first after she won best actress for The Iron Lady.

"First I'm going to thank Don because when you thank your husband at the end of the speech they play him out with music," said Streep. "I want him to know that everything I value most in our lives you've given me."

The 67-year-old actress refers to their relationship as "the perfect odd couple." She appreciates the way he loves her for who she is, despite her eager, overactive nature. Appreciating your husband for all he does can go a long way.

Protect your family

Juggling kids and a career can be messy. For Streep, protecting her family meant keeping them separate from her spotlight.

Streep said Robert Redford taught her that her babies are not her props. She chose to never parade her kids across the media, and she admired the way Redford taught her to protect her family from harsh media influences.

See the bright side of challenges

While it may seem glamorous, the role of an actress has it's own set of challenges. Even for someone as accomlished as Streep, being an actress means jumping from project to project and not having a stable job.

Streep has learned that this challenge also has an advantage: she gets to spend more time with her children between roles.

"Going from job to job never knowing where the next one would be has allowed me to spend time with my four kids - more than if I'd worked a desk job," said Streep.

Learn and laugh

Streep has taken on a mothering role of young Hollywood actresses. She worries about the constant pressure they are under to be thinner and sexier. She calls it "Victoria's Secret syndrome."

Instead of personally giving into the pressure, she has learned there are interesting leading roles she can play without being younger and sexier.

Streep dove into those roles and laughed when they embarrassed her kids. When she practiced singing in her closet for Mamma Mia her daughters teased her they were going to have to move to Alaska when the movie was released because their mom was wearing spandex.

She learned to laugh at the little things to bring more joy into her individual and family life.

Look to positive role models

Streep's parents encouraged their children to be whatever they wanted to be. Her mother was Streep's mentor and had the ability to light up a room when she walked in. Streep's mother would tell her she was capable and great.

Because of her mother's example, Streep learned "who you touch and how" is what really matters. She has lived that by raising a family, making her mark on the world as a remarkable actress and giving a voice for career driven mothers.