Dolly Parton Deals With Criticism In The Kindest Way Possible

Since her debut album "Hello, I'm Dolly," released in 1967, Dolly Parton has been the poster girl for country music. She, however, cemented her success with the 1981 hit song "9 to 5," which topped major pop charts.

Apart from having an impressive list of songs under her belt, she has released over 50 albums, featured in several blockbuster movies, and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall Of Fame and Country Music Hall Of Fame.

Her unique look, distinctive voice, and business acumen made her one of the most influential entertainers in the industry. This paved the way for future country stars, including Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus.

Despite having numerous achievements, she's not a stranger to critical comments and remarks. Recently, the country star opened up about how she handles criticism.

Read on for more details about her disclosure.

On the "Work Life With Adam Grant" podcast, the country singer opened up about her life and how she has handled critical remarks in her six decades of being a celebrity.

The "9 to 5" star, who recently partnered with James Patterson to write a book, admitted that the best way to cope with criticism was to turn it into something positive.

"When I get bad reviews, I look at it like, well, they must have had some reason to write that," she began.

"There must be some truth in it, surely nobody would just be cruel enough, mean enough, to just say something cruel. I try to look at it deeply and think, well, you know, they probably got a point. And I will just try to look at that and try to change it, and make improvements for next time."

She added that sometimes the best part of her show was when she messes up and her humanity shone through.

Parton also mentioned that it took many years to understand that lesson and put it into practice, adding that she doesn't ever punish herself for "making mistakes."

"That's one of the hardest things I've ever done. I cry over it. I stress over it, knowing I am going to have to deal with it," she concluded.

While on the podcast, The country singer recalled the worst advice she had received early in her career.

She mentioned that people criticized her signature look and advised her to go "simpler with my hair and the way that I dress." According to them, no one would ever take her seriously if she continually appeared cheap.

At the time, her signature was like that of a "country girl's glam." "People wanted me to change, they thought I looked cheap. But I patterned my look after the town tramp," she said.

Presently, Parton takes great pride in her glamorous and larger-than-life fashion statements, famously declaring, "it costs a lot of money to look this cheap!"

In the stint of her career, the "Jolene" crooner has received over four Emmy nominations, fifty Grammy award nominations, and one Tony Award nomination.

She has also juggled multiple projects outside the entertainment industry, such as the Dollywood theme park and "The Dollywood Foundation," where she helped fund the vaccine and launched a book giving program.

The singer explained on the podcast how she's been able to juggle multiple projects simultaneously without burning out.

She admitted that she had no time for burning out. She was a very creative person and claimed that "every new thing will create something else" since "energy begets energy and creativity begets creativity."

However, she had ways of dealing with a very stressful day. The singer likes to spend time at home with her husband or read or cook. She also uses prayer to help alleviate stress. "I always say when things are bad, I pray. When they get worse, I pray harder," she concluded.

She also mentioned that she never liked to dwell on past mistakes, claiming, "I like to enjoy my work, I like to have it be fun, and I like the people around me to have fun doing it."

Around August of last year, Parton revealed that she was working on a book project. She also added that she would be patterning with James Patterson to co-write the book.

"I cannot be more excited about the release of my very first novel," Parton announced the news by taking to her Instagram page to share an image of her and Patterson.

She also added that the book would come with a Cassette Disk depicting the book's plot and characterization.

"I hope you enjoy the book and the songs as much as we've enjoyed putting it together," she concluded.