Entertain Yourself First: What Dolly Parton Taught Me About Music, Mistakes, and Joy

Let's talk about a little epiphany I had recently while diving into the world of Dolly Parton's Songteller—a book that’s been sitting with me since 2020.

Dolly's words hit me like a ton of glittery bricks 💫 when she talked about entertaining God with her music.

It got me thinking:

What if I could entertain myself first? 

Right here. Right now. No perfection required.

That idea is circling back in new ways lately—this time, as a deeper understanding of what it means to create without permission, and to share before perfection.

I first opened Songteller in December of that year—right around my dad’s birthday, a tender time already soaked in reflection.

Something about Dolly’s voice, her grit and grace, struck a chord I didn’t know needed tuning. That same week, I started writing a song called Please Parton Me—a little love letter, a little plea, a lot of heart.

It’s a song that still holds meaning for me, and one I’m excited to see evolve in time.

As a musician, I've always heard this nagging voice whispering that my music needs to be flawless before I can share it with the world. 🎵

But oh, how wrong it was.

I realized that I'd been holding myself hostage—waiting for some mythical moment of musical perfection before I allowed myself to enjoy my own creations.

Instead of being captivated by the beauty in the moment, I cringed at every imperfection.

Tortured by the idea that I wasn't quite good enough yet.

But Dolly's wisdom reminded me:

The key to entertaining the world is first learning to entertain yourself.

It's about embracing the process—flaws and all 🎸 —and leading with love in every note you play.

Here's the big lesson: it's okay to make mistakes.

Actually, it's more than okay—it's essential. Because 🌟 sometimes the so-called "mistakes" are what lead us to the most incredible discoveries.

So let's not shrink away from our imperfections.

Let's embrace them with open arms and a heart full of love. 🌈

Let's shine boldly in the now, exactly as we are—knowing that there's always room for to grow.

Today, I invite you to join me in celebrating the beauty of imperfection.

Let's create. Let's mess up. Let's make memories along the way.

Because when we lead with love, anything is possible. 💖

Here's to embracing ourselves fully and fearlessly as we walk this wild journey toward our best selves.

Let’s make some noise, hit a few wrong notes, and sing out loud anyway—

That’s how the best songs... and the best lives... are written.

With love and music,

Allison2020 🎶