1
You demand respect and you'll get it. First of all, you give respect.Mary J. Blige
2
I didn't know how to show my self love, and I didn't want anyone else to hurt me. So my tough girl attitude was like, 'I'm not having it.'Mary J. Blige
3
I don't think there's anything they can say about me that I haven't said about myself already. And I would be an absolute total liar, and my fans would not respect me, if I said that my life and my marriage are perfect. But we absolutely love each other; we have fun together - it's great.Mary J. Blige
4
I barely have time for my own children. To adopt more children and not have time for them, that would be poor parenting on my part.Mary J. Blige
5
You can't get around pain and opposition, but you can try to be joyful in the trial, and thank yourself for the trial, and thank God for the strength to get through it.Mary J. Blige
6
Music makes us want to live. You don't know how many times people have told me that they'd been down and depressed and just wanted to die. But then a special song caught their ear and that helped give them renewed strength. That's the power music has.Mary J. Blige
7
I truly enjoy Bono. I think he is an amazing person I love him.Mary J. Blige
8
When you finally understand who you are, ages 6 through 60 will understand who you are. Because when they see a person that's come through all that I've come through, still standing, it's amazing.Mary J. Blige
9
Just don't let the hype of what people are saying and how much they love you, y'know, just take the compliment and be thankful that people are complimenting you, but don't let it consume you; don't let your circumstances around you and the way people view you make you act a certain way.Mary J. Blige
10
I don't know. Only God knows where the story ends for me, but I know where the story begins. It's up to us to choose, whether we win or lose and I choose to win.Mary J. Blige
11
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.Mary J. Blige
12
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.Mary J. Blige
13
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.Mary J. Blige
14
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.Mary J. Blige
15
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.Mary J. Blige
16
I like to do interior design, I love to quilt, I love to see different colors together, and I love to match things up.Mary J. Blige
17
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.Mary J. Blige
18
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.Mary J. Blige
19
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.Mary J. Blige
20
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.Mary J. Blige
21
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.Mary J. Blige
22
I wish I had an extra day with my mom sometimes. Or another hour in the day with my family, husband and children.Mary J. Blige
23
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.Mary J. Blige
24
When I was a child I didn't care about getting an education, and I didn't finish high school.Mary J. Blige
25
I always want to be a messenger, a person that, you know, that's not afraid to pass on wisdom.Mary J. Blige
26
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.Mary J. Blige
27
It hurts when you have to smile and you don't want to smile, but the best thing to do is to smile.Mary J. Blige
28
When you hold on to anger and unforgiveness, you can't move forward.Mary J. Blige