Marilyn Monroe ♥

 Without a doubt, her childhood contributed to her insecurity and unhappiness later in life. Although Marilyn did sometimes exaggerate the horrors of her upbringing, there can be no denying that it was indeed a grim and difficult experience for her. Illegitimate at birth, little Norma Jeane Mortensen (she was baptized with the surname Baker), entered the world on June 1st, 1926. Without a father, Norma Jeane was left in the care of her mother, Gladys Baker. Unfortunately, this did not last. Gladys, whose family had a history of mental illness, had a break-down and was institutionalized. She remained this way until her death in 1984. Little Norma Jeane spent her young life being shuffled from foster home to foster home. She even spent two traumatizing years living in a Los Angeles orphanage. It is hard to believe that a goddess could rise up from such circumstances.

   Her salvation came in the form of a young man named Jim Dougherty. To avoid the orphanage, Norma Jeane's guardian Grace Goddard, arranged a marriage for her. She was only 16 and the groom 21. But for the first time in her life she felt loved and part of a family. They were married on June 19, 1942. The marriage only lasted a few years. Jim was in the merchant marines and did not see a lot of his young bride. Norma Jeane was helping the war effort by stuffing parachutes in the local factory when she caught the eye of a photographer. Convinced that she would be an excellent model, Norma Jeane began working for the Blue Book Modeling agency. Soon her ambition turned to acting and she realized that it was time to leave both Jim and Norma Jeane behind.

 Here the transformation began, with a studio contract in hand, the newly named Marilyn Monroe lightened her dark locks and the Blonde Bombshell was born. In the early 1950's Marilyn appeared in a slew of small roles as the stereotypical dumb blonde. During this timeframe a photo from her past came back to haunt her. Young Norma Jeane the model had posed nude because she desperately needed the money to get her car out of hock. Now this photo of a beautiful girl stretched out nude on red velvet was showing up in every garage in the United States. To the studio's surprise Marilyn admitted that indeed it was her in the photo and unashamed she went on to quip that she didn't have anything on but the radio. Normally, such an admission would have been the end of a career but in Marilyn's case it was only the beginning.

 In 1952, her dramatic turn in Niagara capitulated her to superstardom. Marilyn went on to sing and dance her way into our hearts in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953). On January 14th, 1954 two very different worlds came together, when Marilyn wed baseball legend Joe DiMaggio. Unfortunately, the marriage only lasted 9 months. Joe was not happy with the Hollywood scene or the way his wife dressed. It is ironic that the most recognizable image of Marilyn, with her white dress billowing around her, was also the breaking point of her marriage to Joe. In later years, DiMaggio did re-enter Marilyn's life and after her death he continued to carry a torch for her by never remarrying or speaking about her in public.

  By 1955, Marilyn had grown tired of the roles the studio gave her to play. She wanted to be a serious actress. She walked out on her contract with 20th Century Fox and took up residence in New York. Here she studied at the Actor's Studio with Lee Strasberg. After a year long strike, the studio eventually gave in to her unprecedented demands including story and director approval. Her new contract allowed her an incredible amount of creative control that was considered revolutionary for an actress at that time. Her first film after her return, was Bus Stop (1956). The film won her rave reviews for her touching performance as Cherie the Chanteuse.

  While in New York, Marilyn began dating the playwright Arthur Miller. In 1956, they were married in two separate ceremonies, one civil and one Jewish. The couple tried on several occasions to have children but Marilyn miscarried. During this time, Marilyn filmed perhaps the greatest comedy of all time, Some Like It Hot (1959). Rumors of her unprofessional behaviour on this film are legendary. Take after take Marilyn had difficulty remembering even the simplest of lines.    By the 1960's, Marilyn had resorted to a steady diet of sleeping pills and champagne. Some people blame her journey into psychoanalysis teamed with using "the method" style of acting she perfected in New York. In the method you use your own emotions to actually feel what the character is going through. Considering the traumatic childhood Marilyn endured, it should be no surprise that all this digging into her psyche made it difficult for her to function. 

 Arthur Miller tried to save her. He wrote a film for her called The Misfits (1961) where she could fulfill her life-long desire to be a serious actress. He even paired her with her childhood idol Clark Gable. But it would not work. Marilyn had a break down during the filming and by the end of the shoot her marriage to Arthur was over. Even more heartbreaking is the fact that this film would be the last time either Clark Gable or Marilyn would ever appear on the screen. Clark Gable died of a heart attack shortly after shooting on the film had wrapped. Marilyn was very distraught, believing her tardiness, which left Gable waiting endlessly in the heat had killed him. 

  For a time in 1962, it seemed that Marilyn had put her life back on track. She had shed 15 pounds for her role in Something's Got to Give, and when she showed up for hair and makeup tests she was as beautiful as ever. But it was only a facade. Out of 30 shooting days Marilyn only appeared on the set 13 times, claiming illness. When she left filming to appear at President Kennedy's Birthday gala, the Studio executives were appalled. In retaliation, she was fired and sued for breach of contract. Marilyn was devastated. When they were unsuccessful in replacing her, the studio quietly made her an offer to come back to work. She seemed real upbeat about this prospect but it would never happen. On August 5, 1962, Marilyn was found dead, nude on her bed, with a phone in her hand. It seems even in her final hours she tried reaching out for help. But now just like in her childhood there was no one there to save her.

My favorite Marilyn Monroe quotes ♥

"I'm selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best." 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you appreciate them when they're right, you believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself, and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together." 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it's better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring." 
~ Marilyn Monroe 

"A wise girl kisses but doesn't love, listens but doesn't believe, and leaves before she is left." 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"I am good, but not an angel. I do sin, but I am not the devil. I am just a small girl in a big world trying to find someone to love." 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"If you can make a girl laugh, you can make her do anything." 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"If you're gonna be two-faced at least make one of them pretty." 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"When it comes down to it, I let them think what they want. If they care enough to bother with what I do, then I'm already better than them." 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"The real lover is the man who can thrill you by kissing your forehead or smiling into your eyes or just staring into space." 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"It's better to be unhappy alone than unhappy with someone." 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"Give a girl the right shoes, and she can conquer the world." 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"We should all start to live before we get too old. Fear is stupid. So are regrets." 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"This life is what you make it. Not matter what, you're going to mess up sometimes, it's a universal truth. But the good part is you get to decide how you're going to mess it up. Girls will be your friends - they'll act like it anyway. But just remember, some come, somg go. The ones that stay with you through everything - they're your true best friends. Don't let go of them. Also remember, sisters make the best friends in the world. As for lovers, well, they'll come and go too. And babe, I hate to say it, most of them - actually pretty much all of them are going to break your heart, but you can't give up becuase if you give up, you'll never find your soul mate. You'll never find that half who makes you whole and that goes for everything. Just because you fail once, doesn't mean you're gonna fail at everything. Keep trying, hold on, and always, always, always believe in yourself, because if you don't, then who will, sweetie? So keep your head high, keep your chin up, and most importantly, keep smiling, because life's a beautiful thing and there's so much to smile about." 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"Beneath the makeup and behind the smile I am just a girl who wishes for the world." 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"She was a girl who knew how to be happy even when she was sad. And that’s important—you know." 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"I don't mind living in a man's world, as long as I can be a woman in it." 
~ Marilyn Monroe 

"Who said nights were for sleep?" 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"The nicest thing for me is sleep, then at least I can dream." 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"All little girls should be told they are pretty, even if they aren't." 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"We are all of us stars, and we deserve to twinkle." 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"You believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself." 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"It's not true that I had nothing on. I had the radio on." 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"If I'd observed all the rules I'd never have got anywhere." 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"It's often just enough to be with someone. I don't need to touch them. Not even talk. A feeling passes between you both. You're not alone." 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"Success makes so many people hate you. I wish it wasn't that way. It would be wonderful to enjoy success without seeing envy in the eyes of those around you." 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"It's better to be hated for what you are, than to be loved for what your not." 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"Dogs never bite me. Just humans." 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"I don't mind making jokes, but I don't want to look like one." 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"I don't know who invented high heels, but all women owe him a lot!" 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"I restore myself when I'm alone." 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"You never know what life is like, until you have lived it." 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"It's all make believe, isn't it?" 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"Diamonds are a girls best friend." 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"The body is meant to be seen, not all covered up." 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"Hollywood is a place where they'll pay you a thousand dollars for a kiss and fifty cents for your soul. I know, because I turned down the first offer often enough and held out for the fifty cents." 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"I'm very definitely a woman and I enjoy it. " 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"Keep smiling, because life is a beautiful thing and there's so much to smile about." 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"If I play a stupid girl and ask a stupid question, I've got to follow it through, what am I supposed to do, look intelligent?" 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"I've been on a calendar, but never on time." 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"I have feelings too. I am still human. All I want is to be loved, for myself and for my talent." 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"I learned to walk as a baby and I haven't had a lesson since." 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"Sometimes things fall apart so that better things can fall together." 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"I have too many fantasies to be a housewife....I guess I am a fantasy." 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"I knew I belonged to the public and to the world, not because I was talented or even beautiful, but because I had never belonged to anything or anyone else." 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"Some people have been unkind. If I say I want to grow as an actress, they look at my figure. If I say I want to develop, to learn my craft, they laugh. Somehow they don't expect me to be serious about my work." 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"This life is what you make it. Not matter what, you're going to mess up sometimes, it's a universal truth. But the good part is you get to decide how you're going to mess it up. Girls will be your friends - they'll act like it anyway. But just remember, some come, somg go. The ones that stay with you through everything - they're your true best friends. Don't let go of them." 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"Friendship is the bestiest thing that comes to life . Friends will always be there for you don't worry about the fakes worry about the people who had your back from the start and never treated you wrong always remember they are your real friends don't never take them as granted because one day your going to lose a good friend by the way your action's are when you see a good friend stick to that person." 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"Love and work are the only two real things in our lives. They belong together, otherwise it is off. Work is in itself a form of love." 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"A career is wonderful, but you can't curl up with it on a cold night." 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"Well behaved women rarely make history." 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"The thing I want more than anything else? I want to have children. I used to feel for every child I had, I would adopt another." 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"I live to suceed, not to please you or anyone else." 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"All a girl really wants is for one guy to prove to her that they are not all the same."
~ Marilyn Monroe

"How wrong it is for a woman to expect the man to build the world she wants, rather than to create it herself." 
~ Marilyn Monroe 

"I just want to be wonderful." 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"Wanting to be someone else, is a waste of the person you are." 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"There's only one sort of natural blonde on earth - albinos." 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"Just because you fall once, doesn't mean you're fall at everything. Keep trying, hold on, and always trust yourself, because if you don't then who will??" 
~ Marilyn Monroe

"I want to grow old without facelifts... I want to have the courage to be loyal to the face I've made. Sometimes I think it would be easier to avoid old age, to die young, but then you'd never complete your life, would you? You'd never wholly know you." 
~ Marilyn Monroe

 Marilyn Monroe's  make-up --- with Kandee Johnson (xoxo)

  Marilyn was very creative and loved art. The following poems and paintings were done by her own hand.
 The poems appeared in the book, "Marilyn: An Untold Story" by Norman Rosten.

Life -
I am of both your directions
Existing more with the cold frost
Strong as a cobweb in the wind
Hanging downward the most
Somehow remaining
Those beaded rays have the colors
I've seen in paintings - ah life
they have cheated you...

thinner than a cobweb's thread
sheerer than any-
but it did attach itself
and held fast in strong winds
and sindged by leaping hot fires
life - of which at singular times
I am of both your directions -
somehow I remain hanging downward the mostas both of your directions pull me.

I I left my home of green rough wood, A blue velvet couch. I dream till now A shiny dark bush Just left of the door. Down the walk Clickity clack As my doll in her carriage Went over the cracks- "We'll go far away." II Don't cry my doll Don't cry I hold you and rock you to sleep Hush hush I'm pretending now I'm not your mother who died. III Help Help Help I feel life coming closer When all I want is to die.

From time to time
I make it rhyme
but don't hold that kind
of thing against me-
Oh well what the hell
so it won't sell
what I want to tell-
is what's on my mind
taint Dishes
taint Wishes
it's thoughts
flinging by
before I die
and to think
in ink.

To the Weeping Willow


I stood beneath your limbs
and you flowered and finally clung to me
and when the wind struck with … the earth
and sand- you clung to me. 

38 great, inspiring & wise quotes

1."Courage is the discovery that you may not win, and trying when you know you can lose." ~Tom Krause

 There are no guarantees in life. Even the false security of having a house, a family and money in the bank will pass. The only constant in life is change. The sooner we can accept that, the smoother life will be.

2."There is far more opportunity than there is ability." ~Thomas A. Edison

 Most people are afraid to take action. Sure, they have ideas, but they don’t do anything about it. It’s scary to go down that path, which is why so few do. In the end, you have to determine what kind of life you want to live: one of mediocrity, or one of greatness?

3."Dream as if you’ll live forever, live as if you’ll die today." ~James Dean

 Dreams are important, but they do not come to fruition if you do not take action. Don’t procrastinate. Start living the life you want to live today. There is always a step you can take. There is always something you can do.

4."Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try." ~Unknown

 If you never start, you will never get anywhere. If you want to find your passion, it starts with trying. You will fail, you will make mistakes, but that’s a part of the journey.

5."Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it’s always your choice." ~Wayne Dyer

 You are responsible for how you feel. You can blame external things if you want to, but it will never change how things are. It is only when you accept your own responsibility that you can change.

6."There’s always a way – if you’re committed." ~Tony Robbins

 If you’re passionate enough and if you care enough, you will overcome any obstacles. Excuses will be a thing of the past, but if you’re not determined, you will let the smallest excuse hold you back.

7."When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don’t adjust the goals, adjust the action steps." ~Confucius

 If you’ve been trying to make your passion a reality, please do not quit. If something doesn’t work, all you have to do is change your approach. Look at people who are already doing what you want to do, and learn from them.




8."It’s kind of fun to do the impossible." ~Walt Disney

 Everything that has been invented has at one time or another been thought of as impossible. Don’t let other people hold you down when it comes to going after your dreams. Trust your heart and follow your highest excitement.

9."Trust yourself. You know more than you think you do." ~Benjamin Spock

 I know you may doubt yourself when it comes to listening to your heart, but the more you do it, the easier it becomes. The sooner you embrace an attitude of curiosity, the sooner you will start trusting yourself. So what if you make mistakes? Who cares?

10."You must do the thing you think you cannot do." ~Eleanor Roosevelt

 The people that can do the things they think they cannot do are the ones who succeed. Following your passion and living your purpose is not always easy.

11."Action will remove the doubt that theory cannot solve." ~Petryl Hsieh

 You can spend your whole life thinking and theorizing, but it is only through action that you gain clarity. I’ve noticed that theory can only take me so far. When I actually start taking action, things are much different than in theory.

12."It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop." ~Confucius

 If you want a better life, all you have to do is get started. It doesn’t matter if you believe yourself to be a slow learner, because if you never start, you never get anywhere. It’s better to start than to live a life of regret.

13."I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand." ~Confucius

 You can try to learn as much as you want, but if you do not take action, you won’t get any results. You cannot know everything before you start, so don’t even try. Just begin and expect mistakes. Learn from them and keep going.

14."Your work is to discover your work and then with all your heart to give yourself to it." ~Buddha

 It can take a while to find your passion, but when you do find it, it’s your duty to give it your all. It’s not enough to find your passion; it takes hard work to make it a reality.

15."Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending." ~Maria Robinson

 Dwelling on past mistakes does you no good. You can change everything today if you want to, or you can keep living the life you’ve always lived. It’s up to you, but remember this: every moment is an opportunity to change your life.

16."Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work." ~Aristotle

 Find your passion and purpose in life. Love what you do and the end result will reflect it. If you do the work with joy, you will have no trouble perfecting every detail.

17."We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." ~Aristotle

 Don’t look at successful people and feel like you are not enough. You are comparing yourself to someone who has worked hard at perfecting his craft. All you can do is start. If you want to get good at something, go do it.




18."Everyone who got where he is has had to begin where he was." ~Robert Louis Stevenson

 It’s easy to look at someone who’s already rocking it when you yourself haven’t even gotten started. It’s easy to forget that the one you admire has been where you are. It’s easy to forget, so remind yourself of the fact that we are all the same, and if that is true, you can do this as well, even if you doubt yourself.

19."The path to success is to take massive, determined action." ~Tony Robbins

 Take action. Take Action. Take action. I can’t say it enough. If you want something, you have to take action. Plan, learn and absorb as much as you want, but without action, you will never get to where you want to be.

20."When the solution is simple, God is answering." ~Albert Einstein

 The human mind has a funny tendency of trying to make everything complex. It takes effort to keep things simple. The more stuff you can eliminate from your plate, the more you get done. Focus on simplicity.

21."If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading." ~Lao Tzu

 If you’re unhappy, you can’t expect something or someone outside of yourself to fix it. You are the only one responsible for your life. If you want to change and start living with passion, you are the one that has to act.

22."Without feelings of respect, what is there to distinguish men from beasts?" ~Confucius

 There is so much war going on in the world. We need to start treating each other with respect. We are the same species. We are brothers and sisters living on the same planet. We are in this together. Everything that separates us from each other should be reconsidered.

23."Wisely, and slow. They stumble that run fast." ~William Shakespeare

 Take it easy. Once you’ve rushed enough in your life, you will realize that there is nowhere to go. The need to go fast comes from a feeling of lack. This feeling can only be remedied from where it originates—the inside.

24."When I do good, I feel good. When I do bad, I feel bad. That’s my religion." ~Abraham Lincoln

 This should be the religion of all people on earth. What good is a religion if it separates us? Who cares if your god is better than mine if all it leads to is hatred and war? It’s time to sit down and think about what we’re doing.

25."If you spend too much time thinking about a thing, you’ll never get it done." ~Bruce Lee

 Do not overanalyze. Err on the side of taking too much action, rather than thinking too much. Most people are thinkers, because it is easy, but few are doers. It’s hard, frustrating and sometimes painful, but it works.

26."Do you want to know who you are? Don’t ask. Act! Action will delineate and define you."  ~Thomas Jefferson

 You have to beat this point into your head: take action, and do it now! The stars will never align. Circumstances will never be perfect. The sooner you get started, the better off you will be. You will have to make mistakes, because it is the only way.

27."Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you." ~Lao Tzu

 You already have everything you need. Be grateful for the things you already have. It’s easy to get caught up in the drama of life. Focusing on negativity is easy, but focusing on the positive is what makes a difference and spurs you into action.

28."The superior man acts before he speaks, and afterwards speaks according to his action." ~Confucius

 Instead of telling people what to do, go and do it first and then speak. I have had more than a few people tell me that they were going to do something, and they never did. It doesn’t leave a good impression.

29."Every choice you make has an end result." ~Zig Ziglar

 Be aware of the actions you take and the consequences they have. It’s easy to act in haste. It’s easy to do selfish things. They may look good in the short-term, but in the long-term you’ll be digging your own grave. The same goes for going after your passion. It may be hard in the short-term, but it is more than worth it.

30."I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed." ~Michael Jordan

 When Michael Jordan was a kid, he was horrible at basketball, but he kept failing, practicing and trying, which is why he became great. If you want to make something happen in your life, you have to start failing, trying and moving forward.

31."A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving." ~Lao Tzu

 Have plans, but do not be rigid. Be present and focus on each task. Thinking about an end goal will cause stress, because your mind is focusing on the future, on lack, instead of focusing on what’s in front of you.

32."What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others." ~Confucius

 This is such a simple quote, yet so powerful. If everyone lived by this, the world would be a better place. Treat others with respect and kindness, because that is how you would like to be treated, right?

33."Sometimes the road less traveled is less traveled for a reason." ~Jerry Seinfeld

 You don’t have to re-invent the wheel if you’re starting something new. It’s perfectly okay to learn from someone who’s already been where you want to be.

34."Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle." ~Plato

 We’re all going through this journey together, and we all have our own problems. Remember to be kind. Remember others, because you are not the only one that has problems. Focus your energy on being kind and helping. You will see a difference in your life.

35."The only reason for time is so that everything doesn’t happen at once." ~Albert Einstein

 Time is an interesting beast, because it is relative. Put your hand on a stove and time moves slowly.  Watch an excellent movie with someone you love and time flies by.

36."Time you enjoyed wasting is not wasted time." ~T.S. Elliot

 There is nothing wrong with wasting time. I tend to force myself to work, so I’ve had to learn that wasting some time and having fun isn’t a deadly sin. It’s essential to a happy life.

37."Don’t let the past steal your present." ~Cherralea Morgen

 We all dwell on the past too much. I know I do. Don’t let your past determine your future. Focus on what you want to do, and go do it. Release the past and step into your potential.

38."Time spent laughing is time spent with the gods." ~Japanese Proverb

 Last, but not least, remember to enjoy your life. Remember to be grateful for the little things. Remember to be kind to the people around you and remember to follow your heart. And of course, remember to read inspiring quotes on a daily basis!