Dolly Parton thinks "you have to work at being happy". The 78-year-old singer is well-known for her upbeat outlook, but Dolly admits that it still takes some "work". The '9 to 5' hitmaker told the Guardian newspaper: "You have to work at being happy.
Some people work at being miserable. "If I wake up in the morning and don’t feel great or things are not great, I try to think about what I can do to make things work better, rather than just falling into that deep hole, because then you just go deeper and deeper. "I just try to have a good attitude and make things right; to be grateful for the things I have, thank God, and look for spiritual strength for myself.
" Dolly grew up in rural Tennessee and she believes that her upbringing has shaped her personality. The award-winning star admitted that she's "grateful" for all of her childhood experiences - even though it wasn't always easy for her and her family. Dolly - who is one of the best-selling music artists of all time - explained: "Everybody where we grew up had a hard time.
"We were mountain people. Most people were poor, but we didn’t realise that we were poor until some smart-head said so. Everybody around us lived the same way, but you don’t think about that until you’re away.
"We had good parents, but we didn’t have all the big luxuries that I’m able to afford now. But I wouldn’t trade it for nothing. The only thing I regret is that my parents had a hard time, but they never complained, so why should I? Tha.