--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I started speaking about what I was…" description: "\"I started speaking about what I was dealing with through my music, and 4 million women responded and said, 'Us too, Mary.' And I didn't know that every..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec6/mary-j-blige-2311_hurt_i-started-speaking-about-what-i-was-deal_569129.png" --- # I started speaking about what I was dealing with through… ![“I started speaking about what I was dealing with through my music, and 4 million women responded and said, 'Us too, Mary.' And I didn't know that everyone was hurting like I was hurting. I had no idea.” quote by Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec6/mary-j-blige-2311_hurt_i-started-speaking-about-what-i-was-deal_569129.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec6/mary-j-blige-2311_hurt_i-started-speaking-about-what-i-was-deal_569129.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec6/mary-j-blige-2311_hurt_i-started-speaking-about-what-i-was-deal_569129.png) > “I started speaking about what I was dealing with through my music, and 4 million women responded and said, 'Us too, Mary.' And I didn't know that everyone was hurting like I was hurting. I had no idea.” [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Sharing personal pain through music created a massive, shared sense of solidarity among women. **In simple terms:** Music revealed common struggles. Key Takeaway Use art to connect and heal others. Themes vulnerability community empowerment Mood empathetic hopeful Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - mental health awareness - public speaking - creative expression Key Concepts shared trauma catharsis solidarity Questions to Reflect On - How can you safely share personal stories? - What platforms best foster supportive listening? A Different Perspective Not everyone may relate or respond positively. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) ## Related quotes > [“The optimistic, prosperous spirit of the time further advanced Friedan's message. Relatively few of the women who responded to The Feminine Mystique, surveys suggested,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-patterson/the-optimistic-prosperous-spirit-of-the-time-further-advanced-friedan/) [James T. Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-t-patterson/) > [“Converts have it soft," said Mary. "They come to it late, without ever having had the Devil under the bed. They sail in and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mavis-gallant/converts-have-it-soft-said-mary-they-come-to-it-late-without-ever/) [Mavis Gallant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mavis-gallant/) > [“The real problem, said Mary, was not women, but how men wanted women to be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-gordon/the-real-problem-said-mary-was-not-women-but-how-men-wanted-women-to/) Charlotte Gordon > [You're not an idiot. You're just eccentric. (Selena) That's what they said about Mary Todd Lincoln. Until they locked her up. (Grace)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/you-re-not-an-idiot-you-re-just-eccentric-selena-that-s-what-they/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [“Who would have thought you had so many supporters?" she whispered. "Not mine, my love. Yours. I had not a one till you started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michele-sinclair/who-would-have-thought-you-had-so-many-supporters-she-whispered-not/) [Michele Sinclair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michele-sinclair/) > [The hardets thing I'd not talking to the person whom u used to talk ever day of ur life frm where u started speaking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-hardets-thing-i-d-not-talking-to-the-person-whom-u-used-to-talk/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Women have started speaking their minds, and men have graciously started accepting that. I love this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manisha-koirala/women-have-started-speaking-their-minds-and-men-have-graciously/) [Manisha Koirala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manisha-koirala/) > [It's funny how you can be thought of as somebody who humanizes bad guys, and I'll take that, but it is something that gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/it-s-funny-how-you-can-be-thought-of-as-somebody-who-humanizes-bad/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [“That would be Suzanne, who had started speaking complicated sentences at ten months and may have been about eight years old when she was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melinda-rathjen/that-would-be-suzanne-who-had-started-speaking-complicated-sentences/) Melinda Rathjen > [He actually came up to me and we started speaking. And from that conversation we were able to come to a meeting of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-ashley/he-actually-came-up-to-me-and-we-started-speaking-and-from-that/) [Maurice Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-ashley/) > [“When I started speaking to people in bullet points rather than complete sentences to maximize efficiency, I knew I wasn’t living as I should.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-kuykendall/when-i-started-speaking-to-people-in-bullet-points-rather-than/) [Alexandra Kuykendall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-kuykendall/) > [“I groaned. "All the time. I thought I was going crazy." "Duude," he said in agreement. "And before the Flash, all kinds of freaky…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/i-groaned-all-the-time-i-thought-i-was-going-crazy-duude-he-said-in/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [I guess when I first started speaking with an American accent, there's a tendency to create a caricature of the accent because you just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radha-mitchell/i-guess-when-i-first-started-speaking-with-an-american-accent-there-s/) [Radha Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radha-mitchell/) > [The biggest issue for me has been the language because I speak so much German now. I've had to focus on my English and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/motsi-mabuse/the-biggest-issue-for-me-has-been-the-language-because-i-speak-so/) [Motsi Mabuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/motsi-mabuse/) > [I just can't stop doing Telugu films just when I have started speaking a little better Telugu.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harshvardhan-rane/i-just-can-t-stop-doing-telugu-films-just-when-i-have-started/) [Harshvardhan Rane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harshvardhan-rane/) ## More by Mary J. Blige > [I still get nervous about singing. I drink tea with honey and lemon before every concert. And I need to have scented candles in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/i-still-get-nervous-about-singing-i-drink-tea-with-honey-and-lemon/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) > [I never do any album to beat it. I do it to extend it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/i-never-do-any-album-to-beat-it-i-do-it-to-extend-it/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) > [When you wake up and learn to love yourself and want to take care of yourself, things are harder because people don't like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/when-you-wake-up-and-learn-to-love-yourself-and-want-to-take-care-of/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) > [I do consider myself part of black history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/i-do-consider-myself-part-of-black-history/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) > [You can't get around pain and opposition, but you can try to be joyful in the trial, and thank yourself for the trial, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/you-can-t-get-around-pain-and-opposition-but-you-can-try-to-be-joyful/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) > [Once you climb to another level, you have to figure out how to sustain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/once-you-climb-to-another-level-you-have-to-figure-out-how-to-sustain/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) > [I care about me now. When I didn't care about me, I was, like, 'Why is this going wrong? Why is my life so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/i-care-about-me-now-when-i-didn-t-care-about-me-i-was-like-why-is/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) > [I don't think there's anything they can say about me that I haven't said about myself already. And I would be an absolute total…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/i-don-t-think-there-s-anything-they-can-say-about-me-that-i-haven-t/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) > [I can tell you I didn't feel good when I could not articulate properly. Getting my GED was important and I want other women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/i-can-tell-you-i-didn-t-feel-good-when-i-could-not-articulate/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) > [My responsibility to God is to live. That's the gift he gave me. What I do with it is up to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/my-responsibility-to-god-is-to-live-that-s-the-gift-he-gave-me-what-i/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) > [There are people out there who want to provoke me and bring back the old Mary but I'm not giving them the satisfaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/there-are-people-out-there-who-want-to-provoke-me-and-bring-back-the/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) > [The music business is really, really small. The real music is becoming almost extinct, if you don't stay true to who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/the-music-business-is-really-really-small-the-real-music-is-becoming/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) > [For the first time in my life, I'm proud of myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/for-the-first-time-in-my-life-i-m-proud-of-myself/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) > [If you're looking for inner peace from the outside world, you're not going to get that. The inner peace starts with looking at you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/if-you-re-looking-for-inner-peace-from-the-outside-world-you-re-not/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) > [God loves me and sent his son to die for me so I have to live to please him because he saved me when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/god-loves-me-and-sent-his-son-to-die-for-me-so-i-have-to-live-to/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) [Explore all 172 Mary J. Blige quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) ## More Hurt quotes > [The only people who think the Internet is a calamity are people whose lives have been hurt by it; the only people who insist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/the-only-people-who-think-the-internet-is-a-calamity-are-people-whose/) [Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/) > [“I locked the door and turned on the water to fill the tub. I made it so hot that I had to get in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-crandall/i-locked-the-door-and-turned-on-the-water-to-fill-the-tub-i-made-it/) [Susan Crandall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-crandall/) > [Sometimes a question can hurt more than an answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/sometimes-a-question-can-hurt-more-than-an-answer/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [Don’t you just hate nights like that, when you think over every mistake you’ve made, every hurt you’ve received, every bit of meanness you’ve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlaine-harris/don-t-you-just-hate-nights-like-that-when-you-think-over-every/) [Charlaine Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlaine-harris/) > [It is easier to say you're mad, rather than admitting you're hurt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-easier-to-say-you-re-mad-rather-than-admitting-you-re-hurt/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Where there is doubt (shanka), there is misery. The moment one begins to doubt the knowledge that, 'I am Chandubhai,' misery arises. Once one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/where-there-is-doubt-shanka-there-is-misery-the-moment-one-begins-to/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [Good girls don't hurt other people's feelings. Good girls are not overly aggressive, competitive, or boastful. Good girls please others. But what good girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jane-gilman/good-girls-don-t-hurt-other-people-s-feelings-good-girls-are-not/) [Susan Jane Gilman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jane-gilman/) > [There's only so much for a man to take...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-gilchrist/there-s-only-so-much-for-a-man-to-take/) Kirsten Gilchrist > [A HURTED HEART IS LIKE SMALL BABY WHICH CAN ONLY CRY BT IT WONT B ABLE 2 EXPRESS ITS FEELINGS.SO DONT HURT ANYBODY IN…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/butterfly-kisses/a-hurted-heart-is-like-small-baby-which-can-only-cry-bt-it-wont-b/) Butterfly\_Kisses > [The greatest gift you can give to those around you is honesty. Sometimes honest words may sting the heart, but dishonesty pierces deep into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/the-greatest-gift-you-can-give-to-those-around-you-is-honesty/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [“I will run every mile, i will save every line, i will say i reached the top and i will fall back down standing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mennah-al-refaey/i-will-run-every-mile-i-will-save-every-line-i-will-say-i-reached-the/) Mennah al refaey > [Some things hurt, you know, and there's pain. But we magnify the suffering of it often, I think, by our reactions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-salzberg/some-things-hurt-you-know-and-there-s-pain-but-we-magnify-the/) [Sharon Salzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-salzberg/) > [You can't force any one to love you, and fighting it, you just gonna hurt yourself badly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-mongotleng/you-can-t-force-any-one-to-love-you-and-fighting-it-you-just-gonna/) Edward Mongotleng > [This goes out to someone that was Once the most important person in my life I didn't realize it at the time I can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aviation/this-goes-out-to-someone-that-was-once-the-most-important-person-in/) Aviation > [It hurt, of course, but more often than not the best things do, I've found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/it-hurt-of-course-but-more-often-than-not-the-best-things-do-i-ve/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) Browse all 13,577 Hurt quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I started speaking about what I was dealing with through my music, and 4 million women responded and said, 'Us too, Mary.' 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