“I’m proud of everything I achieved with ‘Idol,’ and away from ‘Idol’ also. It’s just such a different show now to what it was when I was on it. I didn’t even know it was a TV show until the third audition.”

I sound the same regardless if I’m 20 pounds heavier or 20 pounds light, and I think that’s the key thing with my fans and why they continue to be loyal because I’m that type of person.

Everything changes, but beauty remains.

Books have always been important to me – my mom was a first grade teacher, so I grew up reading all the time.

God will never give you anything you can’t handle, so don’t stress.

People like us we gotta stick together Keep your head up nothing lasts forever.

Even though I’m a pop singer, I really have more the life of a country singer.

The thing about Christmas is that it almost doesn’t matter what mood you’re in or what kind of a year you’ve had; it’s a fresh start.

I never said I was a ‘good girl.’ I’m not a bad girl. I’m just normal, and that’s what I’m going to be. There’s no bad girl with whips and chains that’s going to come out. I think people like me because I was myself.

Everyone is different: different shapes, sizes, colors, beliefs, personalities, and you have to celebrate those differences.

When people talk about my weight, I’m like, ‘You seem to have a problem with it; I don’t.

I still watch ‘Idol,’ and it’s still the No. 1 show, so obviously I’m not the only one who loves to sit at home and be entertained.

I wish I had a better metabolism. But someone else probably wishes they could walk into a room and make friends with everyone like I can. You always want what someone else has.

My happy weight changes. Sometimes I eat more; sometimes I play more. I’ll be different sizes all the time.

By keeping her heart protected, she’ll never ever feel rejected.

Gotta take a risk, take a chance, make a change, and break away. I won’t forget the place I came from.

I don’t love traveling, because I’m never home. It’s hard when you have a family.

Make a wish with all your heart and chase every dream you have. Only you can reach your goals. No one else can achieve them for you.

Doubters do not achieve; skeptics do not contribute; cynics do not create.

While transparency reduces corruption, good governance goes beyond transparency in achieving openness. Openness means involving the stakeholders in decision-making process. Transparency is the right to information while openness is the right to participation.

Just when you think you’ve achieved something, you realize you’ve achieved nothing. And still you have to go forward just the same – toward a dream so distant that your road has neither beginning nor end.

Why, I’d like nothing better than to achieve some bold adventure, worthy of our trip.

I attempt an arduous task; but there is no worth in that which is not a difficult achievement.

The victory of success is half won when one gains the habit of setting goals and achieving them. Even the most tedious chore will become endurable as you parade through each day convinced that every task, no matter how menial or boring, brings you closer to achieving your dreams.

It isn’t normal to know what we want. It is a rare and difficult psychological achievement.