This Is What It's Really Like To Be Dolly Parton

There aren't many celebrities out there quite like Dolly Parton. The southern charmer has completely captured the hearts of her fans, as well as listeners all over the globe. But what exactly goes on in Parton's day-to-day life? When does she wake up? What does she eat? And how does she stay so coifed all the time? Well, as you might have guessed, Parton's life is anything but predictable, as noted by Marie Claire.

For so many reasons, Dolly Parton has been a total legend in the music industry. Not only has she shattered records with her songs, but her upbeat and cheery attitude, as well as her rise from poverty, has made her a seriously admirable celebrity. 

But for as glamorous as her life might be, what it's really like to be Dolly Parton proves that there's more to the Grammy-winner's life than just wearing sparkly clothes and belting out hit songs. Seriously, Parton works hard practically every day of her life and deserves every accolade and bit of recognition she gets. Read on to learn all about her.

One of the biggest things that Dolly Parton is known for is her impeccable songwriting skills. Parton not only writes her own songs, but has been known to compose pieces for others as well, proving that she isn't the least bit selfish. But one of her little-known secrets for songwriting has more to do with her sleep schedule than anything else.

In an interview with Marie Claire, Parton explained that she doesn't typically sleep very well at night. But, when that happens, she takes advantage of it. "I go to bed pretty early, but I'm up and down," she said of her inability to stay asleep. "If I wake up and I'm pretty well awake, I think, I've got so much to do, I'll get up and I'll work a little while, write a little while, and I'll lay back down." 

For whatever reason, Parton has a hard time staying asleep, perhaps because the ideas in her head are too grand for her to sleep much at all.

A lot of what makes Dolly Parton who she is is her faith. Parton has never shied away from her religion, and has even released a Gospel album. But part of what it's really like to be Parton is to start each day with a prayer, no matter what. Yes, the Tennessee native doesn't let a morning go by without getting a little spiritual.

Speaking to Marie Claire, Parton explained that part of her daily routine is to say a quick thank you for everything she has. "I'm a very spiritual person," she explained. "Every single day, before I do anything, I wake up and I thank God for the night and ask him to bless the day and to bring all the right things... [and] all the wrong people out of my life, and bring all the right stuff in." 

Clearly, Parton has a strong connection to her religion and values the peace it brings her. It's touching to know that she's never let her good fortune go unappreciated, too.

If you're a fan of Dolly Parton, then you know that the singer-songwriter is practically always all, well, dolled up. Whether she's staying home or going to a fancy event, Parton puts on makeup and fixes her hair regardless. And as fans know, she always looks great; no matter what event she's attending, Parton is dressed and done up to the nines. And fortunately for Parton, she's learned how to master her makeup routine without a ton of fuss.

As good as Parton looks all the time, it doesn't make her much time to look that stunning. "First thing I do in the morning after I have my breakfast and do my spiritual work, is put on my makeup and fix my hair, and I can do my makeup in 15 minutes," she revealed, according to the Belfast Telegraph. 

It might be hard to believe that Parton can get ready in 15 minutes, but she certainly has a lifetime of practice to get it right. And really, if Parton can look as great as she does in just 15 minutes, then anyone can do it. 

For as much as Dolly Parton has accomplished throughout her life, there seems to be one time of day during which she's the best, most productive version of herself. Just like some people are morning people, evening people, or night owls, Parton is an early bird. Like, a really early bird. 

A day in Parton's life starts early, like at a time when some people are just getting home from a night out on the town. As Parton told Marie Claire, she typically wakes up around 3:00 in the morning. "I do some of my best spiritual work, some of my best writing, and some of my business work — call-ins and letters that I'm writing or whatever — between 3 a.m. and 7 a.m," she explained. "I get more work done during that little period of time when the world is calm, energies are down, and I just feel like a farmer." 

For Parton, an early start to the day makes her more productive and helps her get everything done. Clearly that schedule is working out for her!

Clearly, Dolly Parton is a remarkable and successful woman, and has an impressive work ethic. Not many people wake up at 3 a.m. to get work done, something that Parton does all the time. And part of that likely stems from Parton's childhood, which truly made her who she is, and is likely why her daily routine is so intense.

According to Slate, Parton wrote in her autobiography that because her family was so poor, she really wanted to dress up like girls in magazines. "My sisters and I used to cling desperately to anything halfway feminine," Parton recalled. "We could see the pictures of the models in the newspapers that lined the walls of our house and the occasional glimpse we would get at a magazine." 

Additionally, Parton and her sisters wanted to look glamorous because they had so little and worked all the time, unlike girls in magazines. "They didn't look at all like they had to work in the fields," she continued. "They didn't look like they had to take a spit bath in a dishpan." Given that she's a femme icon now, Parton clearly lived her dream.

Just because Dolly Parton is a famous celebrity with a huge fan following doesn't mean she doesn't indulge herself with rich and savory foods every now and then. Specifically, when it comes to her morning meal, Parton eats a surprising meal for breakfast, though she doesn't eat it every day.

In an interview with Marie Claire, Parton explained that her typical breakfast changes from day to day, but one of her favorite breakfasts is a classic southern dish. For instance, on the day of her interview, she explained that she had "made some sausage patties, and I baked some biscuits, and I made some milk gravy" for her husband. "He likes that once in a while. Now, I can't eat like that all the time, but I enjoy eating it when I do."

Parton has aged beautifully, and if sausage and gravy is allowed on her menu, then bring on the gravy!

Much like Dolly Parton knows how to precisely apply her own makeup in 15 minutes every morning, her hair is also easy for her to manage. Parton is known for her bright blonde tresses that are often times teased up high to the heavens.

As Parton once said, according to Vogue, "People always ask me how long it takes to do my hair. I don't know, I'm never there." For those who don't know, Parton was obviously referring to her large connection of wigs, which she has said consists of "at least 365. One for each day." 

If you're wondering why Parton prefers wigs to her natural hair, she says that it's quite simple. "That way I never have a bad hair day," she continued. Hey, if you're Parton, getting ready in the morning is as easy as a quick makeup routine and throwing on a wig. In short, Parton is the original Moira Rose.

Despite her fame and fortune, Dolly Parton has managed to stay relatively grounded over the years. And while Parton's spirituality and faith have certainly helped to do that, another way that Parton keeps herself centered is to partake in a little bit of meditation. Well, her take on meditation.

In an interview with Marie Claire, Parton said that one of the ways she stays grounded is to constantly reflect and pray throughout the day. "My little scriptures that I read, and all that," Parton explained. "If things get chaotic and crazy around me, I can just go into that little spot of my own. It's why I say you need to keep a little spot for yourself and your spiritual self and for God." 

Parton's regular spiritual practice is simply part of her daily routine, and while she might have a dedicated prayer time in the morning, she returns to that meditation throughout the day. And as you know, Parton's days tend to be quite long.

Among so many other things, Dolly Parton is well-known for her petite and taut figure. She's also not above joking about her breasts, so she's very aware of how curvaceous she is. But if you were wondering whether or not Parton follows a regular diet, she doesn't. Nor does she want to.

According to Vogue, Parton once said that diets simply weren't for her. "I tried every diet in the book," she revealed. "I tried some that weren't in the book. I tried eating the book. It tasted better than most of the diets."

Sure, Parton makes sure to stay active, but she doesn't restrict herself too much in terms of what she eats. Additionally, Parton has said that she has a true appreciation and love for good food. "My weaknesses have always been food and men — in that order," she added. So far as what it's really like to be Parton, it seems that plenty of delicious food is involved.

If there's one thing that Dolly Parton does practically each and every day, in addition to her spiritual practice, it's write music. Songwriting is pretty much second nature for Parton, so it's no surprise that she makes time for it on a regular basis. After all, to be Parton, you've gotta work like Parton.

In an interview with Billboard, Parton explained that her talent for songwriting has a lot to do with how the process is healing for her. "That's my therapy; that's my doctors, my nurses, my medicine," she said of her musical abilities. "I really think my music has saved me — and saved a lot of other people because I'm able to write the feelings of people who are broken and don't know how to express it." 

Truly, there's nothing quite like relating to a song in a way you didn't think was possible, and Parton takes great joy in making that happen as often as she can.

Because Dolly Parton has a love for hearty, southern dishes, it's easy to understand that she feels a lot of nostalgia when any kind of food is involved. Specifically, Parton feels a special connection to her mother, who passed away in 2003, practically any time she steps foot in the kitchen. "If I think of Mama, then I usually cook what she used to cook that we loved so good," Parton told People. "Mama used to make, it's like chocolate pudding, really, but you put it in the skillet with flour and sugar and milk and you just make a pudding." Sounds delicious.

Parton also explained that her mom used to serve the pudding with biscuits, so she would do the same. "Mama's gone now, but she's not gone in our memory and in our cooking," she added. For Parton, part of what makes her her, is her mother's influence and her inherited ability to whip up something delicious.

One thing people love about Dolly Parton is her ability to always look glamorous, and part of that shimmer comes from the high heels she's seemingly always wearing. Seriously, she really doesn't take them off; a day in the life of Parton requires high heels and lots of them.

In an interview with Marie Claire, Parton explained her morning routine, and when asked if she'd cooked breakfast that day in her heels, she replied matter-of-factly, "I always wear my high heels." Then she gave a logical reason for doing so: "I actually do wear high heels most of the time," she continued. "They're not always as high as the ones I wear for show. But I'm little. I'm short. And I have to wear heels in order to reach my cabinets." 

Parton's heels aren't just for show, they're also practical, and part of what makes her so charming and iconic. 

It would be easy for Dolly Parton to take all of her success, fame, and fortune for granted, but that's just not who the country singer is. Because what it's really like to be Parton is to appreciate everything she's been given, and maintain a strong spiritual awareness. Specifically, the way that Parton always ends her day is very reminiscent of how she starts every day.

In an interview with Today, Parton simply stated that every night before she goes to bed, she does this one thing. "I pray," she revealed, adding that it's also how she wakes up, "thank[ing] the Lord for another day." 

More than just praying every night, Parton has made it a habit to basically always say little prayers of gratitude. "I make a point to appreciate all the little things in my life," she wrote in her book, Dream More (via Oprah). "I go out and smell the air after a good, hard rain." Truly, Parton understands the meaning of gratitude, and practices it daily. 

Dolly Parton might have grown up in poverty, which rendered her constantly appreciative for all she's been lucky enough to have in life, but there's one way in which she'll always be a little bit of a diva. 

Parton obviously knows how to take care of her skin, but she does follow one unconventional rule that will have most dermatologists gasping. Yes, she doesn't remove her makeup at the end of the day. She even sleeps in her makeup! But don't worry, she has a good reason. "I clean my face in the mornings," she told The New York Times. "You never know if you're going to wreck the bus, you never know if you're going to be somewhere in a hotel and there's going to be a fire. So I leave my makeup on at night and clean my face in the morning," Parton said. 

Parton understands that she can never know what the night will bring, so she prefers to always be prepared and look her best. Hey, being Parton isn't easy, but it sure does sound fun.