Do it on purpose
Two years ago, I attended a women’s retreat titled “The Gospel According to Dolly Parton.”
Over the course of that weekend, we spent time with Dolly’s music, exploring the themes in her life, and enjoying activities that celebrated The Queen of Country.
I think most people would agree that one of Dolly’s most memorable qualities was her distinctive sense of style. In learning more about her that weekend, I discovered that she created her larger than life public persona based on two things.
First, it was simply because she wanted to. As a child growing up in rural Tennessee, she dreamed of a life beyond what appeared to be her inevitable destiny. She saw the flashy fashion of the women in her community who, to her, represented the freedom and autonomy she desperately craved. Styling herself based on that inspiration, she leaned into big hair, flashy rhinestones, and bold clothes because it made her happy.
Secondly, she chose to lean in hard to this over-the-top style because she knew it would grab attention that would serve her career.
In her 1977 interview with Barbara Walters, she shared “It’s certainly a choice. I don’t like to be like everyone else. I've often made the statement that I'd never stoop so low as to be fashionable. That's the easiest thing in the world to do. So I just decided that I would do something that would at least get the attention. Once they got past the shock of the ridiculous way I looked and all of that, they would see there were parts of me to be appreciated.”
She added, “I’m very real where it counts, and that’s inside…I know exactly what I’m doing and I can change it at any time…I’m sure of myself as a person.”
What struck me that weekend, and sticks with me in the time since, is that Dolly’s approach was so different from how most of us choose to show up in our life.
So often, we lean into an outward presentation of ourselves to fit in, to meet expectations, or to do what we think represents who we’re “supposed” to be.
Dolly did the opposite. She presented herself to the world in a way that allowed her to be even more of herself and go after what she wanted without apology.
This makes me curious…
What might you do to fully lean into who you are and the path you want to create for yourself?
How might you be inspired by Dolly’s intentionality to show up more fully as yourself?
August 27, 2026
About the author:
Christina Von Stroh is a leadership coach who helps her clients become wildly successful by applying iterative software development practices to achieve their dreams. Want to work with Christina to help you iterate towards the person you’re becoming?
Book your free strategy session.
