Mary J. Blige

When you hold on to anger and unforgiveness, you can't move forward.

It hurts when you have to smile and you don't want to smile, but the best thing to do is to smile.

There's so many things that life is, and no matter how many breakthroughs, trials will exist and we're going to get through it. Just be strong.

I always want to be a messenger, a person that, you know, that's not afraid to pass on wisdom.

When I was a child I didn't care about getting an education, and I didn't finish high school.

In the inner city, there's a mentality that the government owes you something. My breakthrough came when I stopped feeling sorry for myself and took responsibility for every part of my life. No more pity parties. I've gotta love me more than anybody else loves me.

I wish I had an extra day with my mom sometimes. Or another hour in the day with my family, husband and children.

I remember a time when all my fans were crying and sad and going through hell. Now, we're trying to uplift each other and accept ourselves for who we are, even if nobody else does.

I just want fans to walk away knowing that no matter what's going on, no matter how happy you are, no matter how sad you are, we did it. We're strong in this. We've come a long way, and life is not just one thing.

I had to learn how to trust my gut. Trust what I know to be right... not right, but not waver on who I am. Know who I am, know what I want, and know it. Not waver on it and be secure in that. And I still struggle with it. But I really... I can't be moved. You can't move me, and that all comes with loving myself, and I'm like my best buddy.

I don't listen to people's opinions. I have people around me who I can trust, but most of all I listen to myself.

When someone comes up to me and says, 'Mary, you helped save my marriage', or, 'Mary, you helped me get out of this abusive relationship', I'm in it, really in their lives. And I'm so passionate about my feelings, but also about showing people the way through theirs.

I like to do interior design, I love to quilt, I love to see different colors together, and I love to match things up.

Don't give up, be positive and if you know someone who knows someone at a record company don't stop beating down their door till you get heard. Don't ever say it'll never happen or it'll never happen.

You can hate me. You can go out there and say anything you want about me, But you will love me later because I told you the truth.

I've just been growing right along. It's painful, but it's a great pain, and I like suffering for great results. It's like going to the gym. It hurts really bad at first, but after a couple of months and after that diet, you're looking so hot.

I wish I had known that education is the key. That knowledge is power. Now I pick up books and watch educational shows with my husband. I'm seeing how knowledge can elevate you.

God comes first - if I don't love him, I can't love anybody, and if I can't love me I can't love nobody.