Quote Of The Day By Dolly Parton: 'We Cannot Direct The Wind, But We Can Adjust The Sails.'

Born on January 19, 1946, in East Tennessee, Dolly Parton was the fourth of 12 children. Her parents didn't have much, sharing a one-room cabin, but there was love in the home. Dolly Parton's childhood mountain upbringing also featured another ever-present: music. Thanks to her mother and grandfather's influences, music surrounded the Parton family household.

Parton's music career started at a young age, but it wasn't until she finished high school and moved to Nashville that a country star was born. She defied the stereotypes of the era to create a glittering career that challenged the status quo and served as a blueprint for other female musicians who came after her.

Having been around the entertainment industry for decades, Parton possesses the uncanny ability to know when to pivot yet remain true to herself. Not only is she a multi-time Grammy Award recipient and music icon, but she's also an established actor and savvy businesswoman who embodied the "my life, my rules" mentality, and that's why Parton is today's quote of the day.

"We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails." This is one of Dolly Parton's favorite quotes, as she's posted it on her social media accounts several times in the past. It's also often been attributed to her and cited by others as being her words of wisdom.

However, the truth is that it's not a Parton original, as others before her, such as country musician Jimmy Dean and spiritual medium Cora L.V. Scott, have used versions of this classic saying. Dean, for instance, once said, "I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination."

Despite the variations and rearrangements, the message remains the same, as simple, practical advice about how to navigate life's storms.

No one can predict what life throws at you. At some point, it might seem like smooth sailing, then the wind smacks you into an unexpected direction toward the rocks. The point is that we have the power to adjust our sails and pull ourselves out of turbulent situations; it's called resilience.

Dolly Parton experienced many tragedies and hardships in her life, too. From early career challenges to gender discrimination, there were times when Parton's life could have veered off course, but she took the good with the bad, reacting with courage and determination to control what she could and adapt where necessary.

For everybody, it's a welcome reminder that tomorrow is uncertain and a blustery challenge may lie ahead, but it's how you react to it that will determine the course of your journey. Like another famous pop culture icon, Rocky Balboa, once said, "It ain't about how hard you hit, it's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward."

• "Being a star just means that you just find your own special place and that you shine where you are."
• "The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain."
• "For myself, I go through a lot, but I was born with a happy heart. I want to be happy. I work at being happy like some people work at being sad."
• "I got dreams so big they'd scare some people."
• "I don't like to be like everybody else."