You read that right. I want to be like Dolly Parton. I am sure my family and friends are reading this and thinking since when and my answer to that is since always. Now let me be clear, I do not want to look like Dolly Parton and certainly don’t want to be a singer (although I would love having her money). I want to be like Dolly because of her attitude towards life.
Dolly Parton Nude
I bet that got your attention. Would you believe that one of the most searched things on the internet is pictures of Dolly Parton Nude? I have to say I was a little shocked. With all of her accomplishments that is what people want to see. Why? Wouldn’t you think people would like to hear her sing, or, listen to an interview? I believe the reason people want to see Dolly nude is because she is so unapologetically herself (interestingly enough Playboy asked her to pose nude and she said no because her body was for her and no one else). Dolly is different and doesn’t fit into any mold and that is the exact reason I want to be like her. The other day she did an interview and talked about how everyone in the music industry had tried to change her. The “powers that be” thought she wouldn’t be taken seriously due to her appearance. The consensus was, “that she looked trashy”. Despite that “trashiness” she has become an icon in the country music industry. Not only is she an icon, she also has a net worth of 650 million dollars. Not too shabby for someone who is “trashy”.
How To Think Like Dolly
When I was growing up we had rules. Rules on how we should behave, rules on how we should dress and rules regarding how we conduct ourselves in public. All of those rules created one thing, a fake me. As a teenager, I really had no idea who I was. While I knew what I liked if it didn’t fit into the mold I was trying to fill I didn’t do it. Trying to be what you aren’t is exhausting, and stressful and can cause anxiety beyond your wildest dreams. In my house, my Sister got to hang out with my Dad and do carpentry, go fishing and golf. I on the other hand was expected to act like “a little lady” and did things like make lunch, take snacks out to my Dad and Sister and clean. Needless to say, I am still useless with a hammer and my Sister can’t even heat a can of peas (sorry Riet). Was this what we would have chosen ourselves? I don’t know and never will.
Our Many Sides
When my daughter was growing up she went to a fantastic little private school that was amazing, sadly, it shut down. Not in love with the public system we had to find another solution, which turned out to be a small “Christian” school. It was at this school that I passed the torch to my daughter. The torch that said, “You can’t be who you are if you want to fit in”. Nobody at the school listened to music, they went to church several times a week and could quote the bible on command. We were not those types of people. In our house music could be found blaring, on Sundays we could often be found in the park or at the zoo and sometimes you could hear me mutter a swear word under my breath. We simply were not like the other families at her school, yet we tried to be.
Fast forward to her next school and we had to change again (or, so, I thought). The next school was an all-girls school, and most students came from money. It was time to break out my Mom’s Gucci purse and put away my ripped-up jeans. It was also time for my daughter to change again. No more bible verses or talk about church, now, it was about where you lived and what type of car your parents drove. The school was about conformity. Everyone had the same uniform, the same socks and shoes and from far away you couldn’t pick out your child because there was nothing that set the girls apart. My daughter was now playing another part and her Dad and I were along for the show.
Some Parenting Advice
Of all the things I did as a Mom, this is what I am most ashamed of. We are good people and we are who we are. My daughter was perfect the exact way she was and we tried to make her something she wasn’t for her to “fit in”. I forgot one of the most important things in life – we are all different and it is those differences that make us special. My daughter is now 19 years old and is slowly coming into her own and the person she truly is, is wonderful. I have come into my own as well. No more trying to be what I am not, I am who I am and that is more than enough.
I am telling you this story as a cautionary tale. Do NOT try to make your children something they aren’t. Embrace what makes them different and have them build upon that because this is how they will become the best version of themselves. Accept yourself, be like Dolly Parton, the true, unapologetically you.
Nobody Is Better Than You
I read a quote from Dolly that said this, “I ain’t that good a Christian to think that I am so good that I can judge other people. That’s God’s job, not mine.” It doesn’t matter whether you are religious or not nothing could be more true. If we were all to stop judging other people we would be much happier. Imagine how much happier we would also be if nobody was judging us. We would be free to be exactly who we are. If this is something you have already managed to accomplish, good for you. For some, it can take a lifetime to realize that other people’s opinions are not important. What is important is that you are happy with who you are. Let everyone else worry about themselves.
Increase Joy, Decrease Stress
The quickest way to find joy is to stop caring what other people think. Rather than worrying about what to wear to the party, get excited about going to the party. Who cares what other people are wearing and looking like everyone else? The reality is that 90% of people are worrying about the same thing. Embrace your uniqueness and all of the qualities that make you, you. Teach your children to do the same. Teach them that they are special, and unique and have all the qualities required to make them an exceptional person. In short, let your children be like Dolly!
If you are interested in more articles on Parenting you may enjoy the following.
Picture of Dolly : Actor Stock photos by Vecteezy