Without your health, everything else means nothing. Mary J. Blige More Quotes by Mary J. Blige More Quotes From Mary J. Blige When life is real, it's not going to be smooth. Mary J. Blige smooth real life-is I'm on my way to a place where I'd never dreamed I'd be, and that's perfection. Mary J. Blige my-way perfection way It's up to us to choose whether we win or lose...and I choose to win. Mary J. Blige win-or-lose god-knows winning 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 educational husband book You know a lot, but you don't know everything. Mary J. Blige knows Life is full of trials and tribulations. It's dramatic when you don't treat people right when you're in the tribulations, but I know now how to get out of it. You have to make a decision to say 'No more', and then you know what to do when the trials happen. Mary J. Blige decision trials people 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 husband mom children It's that first step-getting out the door-that's the toughest. If you can do that, you've already won. Mary J. Blige steps doors firsts My responsibility to God is to live. That's the gift he gave me. What I do with it is up to me. Mary J. Blige responsibility So as long as I'm a human being and I'm not perfect, I'm able to say I'm having some growing pains. Because in order to sustain where you are once you made such a breakthrough that everyone is looking at you, now everyone is like, 'Ooh, is she gonna make a mistake?' Yes, I'm going to make a mistake. Yes, I'm still gonna do things. Mary J. Blige pain mistake order In your life there's peaks and valleys and sometimes we regress, and we don't even know we regress. You just have to learn how to accept all of your mistakes and learn to love yourself again. Mary J. Blige valleys mistake love-you I don't want no drama in my life, even though we have a little bit, but no more letting people control you. That's drama, because then you become something that you're not. Mary J. Blige want drama people It's OK showing yourself some love. Mary J. Blige I think women should band together to get us more respect in all the businesses that we're in because, you know, if we turn 40, we're nothing and nobody. We all should band together and just say we're not gonna go down like that. Mary J. Blige band together thinking I used to think I was ugly. I thought I looked like a camel. A person who doesn't love themselves, they will see anything that pops up on their face. I've seen squirrels, I've seen a bird, and I've seen all kinds of animals on my face. But that is the result of self-hate. I've learned to say: 'You know what? I am a beautiful black woman'. Mary J. Blige hate animal beautiful 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 hype views love-you I believe there should be no more drama, but it's everywhere you go. It's just about how you get out. You've gotta bob and weave because it's everywhere. How do I keep the drama low? It's about using your head. Mary J. Blige bob drama believe You demand respect and you'll get it. First of all, you give respect. Mary J. Blige demand respect giving I cannot save the world, that's not what I'm trying to do. I guess I'm just trying to walk the walk and be an example to those that want it. Not everybody does, but if Mary J Blige can come out of that same hole you were in, then you can do it too - that's my goal: to do that without saying it, but actually live it. Mary J. Blige example goal trying As a child I always wanted to be a singer. The music my mother played in the house moved me - Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan, Mahalia Jackson. It was truly spiritual. It made you understand what God was. We are all spirits. We get depressed. But music makes you want to live. I know my music has saved my life. Mary J. Blige spiritual mother children