Quote Of The Day By Dolly Parton: 'I Do The Best I Can Everyday, And I'm Going To Enjoy My Life...'

With her sunny personality, Dolly Parton has made a major mark that extends well beyond the world of music. For example, Dollywood, Parton's Tennessee theme park, has provided jobs and revenue to the surrounding area. With her Imagination Library, Parton makes sure kids have access to free books. 

Born in Locust Ridge, Tennessee, Parton grew up with 11 siblings, so resources were sometimes scarce. However, Parton also grew up surrounded by music, and not only can she play an astonishing number of instruments, she used a mandolin to DIY her first guitar. The enterprising musician accrued experience with songwriting and recording long before she reached adulthood. Even when Parton encountered early difficulties, like when she lost a recording contract at age 16, she kept persevering.

Her songwriting and singing helped Parton get her big break, and success followed success. She gained even more visibility on Porter Wagoner's TV show and live shows. Even though Parton and Wagoner's relationship could be complicated at times, her generally optimistic outlook helped her weather the challenges. While those tribulations gave us Parton's exquisite ballad, "I Will Always Love You," there's a lot more that Parton has to say on the subject of choosing positivity.

While the lyrics of "I Will Always Love You" are bittersweet, this quote from Dolly Parton is completely uplifting. "I do the best I can every day, and I'm going to enjoy my life," Parton informed O, The Oprah Magazine in June 2016. "Some people work at being miserable. I work at being happy." 

Given Parton's impressive daily work ethic, it makes total sense that she's got such an upbeat attitude. Beyond that, what's most encouraging about her quote is the idea of agency. While our life circumstances will sometimes be difficult, we can decide what we want to focus on and choose happiness or misery.

Dolly Parton is known for her grounded approach to life. By "[doing her] best," Parton leaves room for acknowledging that it doesn't guarantee success. Similarly, "I work at being happy" recognizes that multiple emotions can coexist at any given time. Anyone can follow in Parton's footsteps by giving themselves grace during tough times. They can also acknowledge that no one is always happy, but that by focusing on the good in their life or doing good for others, they can make a positive change to their mindset.

Parton has certainly experienced plenty of tragedy throughout her life, especially when her husband Carl Dean died in March 2025. It was love at first sight for Dean, who recalled their initial meeting and said, "My first thought was 'I'm gonna marry that girl'" (via Entertainment Tonight). They were married nearly 59 years. As she grieved, Parton's commitment to "[doing her] best" was evident. She released a new song, "If You Hadn't Been There," as a lasting tribute to Dean's love and support throughout the decades of their romance.

In addition to the work of songwriting and recording, Parton also worked at happiness through her philanthropic efforts. She focused her support on a Tennessee children's hospital, which was renamed in her honor. However, the benefits were clearly mutual. "It makes her feel useful and she says it's impossible to feel sorry for herself when she's there," an insider divulged to Closer Weekly in March 2026. "She puts on scrubs and the mask and goes incognito to help hold the babies in the NICU or play with the little ones in the pediatric care ward." Through this deliberate effort to be happy, Parton also created joy for the patients and their families.

• "My dream was to make as many people happy as I could in this life."
• "If you see someone without a smile today, give 'em yours."
• "My daddy just loved it when all the little kids would call me 'The Book Lady.' That meant more to him than the fact that I had become a star and worked my butt off."
• "I'm not trying to please everybody — I got to please me first. And that's usually pleasing to other people if you're comfortable with who you are."
• "Like all great love stories, they never end. They live on in memory and song."