Marilyn Monroe, born Norma Jeane Mortenson in 1926, remains one of the most iconic figures of the 20th century.
While the world remembers her as a silver screen siren, symbolizing beauty and sensuality, there was far more depth to her than just a glamorous facade.
Beyond the spotlight and the camera flashes, Monroe was an astute observer of life, often sharing her reflections and feelings with a raw honesty that was both refreshing and rare for her time.
Although she faced numerous challenges and personal struggles, she never hesitated to voice her unique perspective.
In this post, I share 40 timeless Marilyn Monroe quotes – her unfiltered truths about love, life, and everything in between.
Through her words, we get a glimpse into the mind of a woman who, despite her worldwide fame, craved the same basic human connections and understandings as any of us.
Marilyn Monroe Quotes on Life and Love
1. “I don’t forgive people because I’m weak, I forgive them because I am strong enough to know people make mistakes.”
2. “For those who are poor in happiness, each time is a first time; happiness never becomes a habit.”
3. “A girl doesn’t need anyone who doesn’t need her.”
4. “A wise girl knows her limits; a smart girl knows that she has none.”
5. “That’s the way you feel when you’re beaten inside. You don’t feel angry at those who’ve beaten you. You just feel ashamed.”
6. “I don’t stop when I’m tired. I only stop when I’m done.”
7. “A strong man doesn’t have to be dominant toward a woman. He doesn’t match his strength against a woman weak with love for him. He matches it against the world.”
8. “You believe lies, so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself.”
9. “I don’t mind making jokes, but I don’t want to look like one.”
10. “It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you are not.“
Believe in Yourself Quotes by Marilyn Monroe
11. “Always, always, always believe in yourself. Because if you don’t, then who will, sweetie?”
12. “If you can make a woman laugh, you can make her do anything.”
13. “I’ve never fooled anyone. I’ve let people fool themselves. They didn’t bother to find out who and what I was. Instead, they would invent a character for me. I wouldn’t argue with them. They were obviously loving somebody I wasn’t.”
14. “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.”
15. “I think that love and work are the only things that really happen to us.”
16. “I’m pretty but not beautiful. I sin, but I’m not the devil. I’m good, but I’m not an angel.”
17. “To all the girls that think you’re fat – because you’re not a size zero, you’re the beautiful one. It’s society who’s ugly.”
18. “Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius, and it’s better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring.”
19. “We should all start to live before we get too old. Fear is stupid. So are regrets.”
20. “Keep smiling because life is a beautiful thing, and there’s so much to smile about.”
Timeless Marilyn Monroe Quotes
21. “If there is only one thing in my life that I am proud of, it’s that I’ve never been a kept woman.”
22. “If I’d observed all the rules, I’d never got anywhere.”
23. “I’m selfish, impatient, and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I’m out of control, and at times, hard to handle. But if you can’t handle me at my worst, then you don’t deserve me at my best.”
24. “Men who think that a woman’s past love affairs lessen her love for them are usually stupid and weak.”
25. “A woman knows by intuition or instinct what is best for herself.”
26. “We are all of us stars, and we deserve to twinkle.”
27. “Boys think girls are like books. If the cover doesn’t catch their eye, they won’t bother to read what’s inside.”
28. “The nicest thing for me is sleep, then, at least, I can dream.”
29. “A smile is the best makeup a girl can wear.”
Life and Love by Marilyn Monroe
30. “I dress for men. A woman looks at your clothes critically. A man appreciates them.”
31. “It’s nice to be included in people’s fantasies but you also like to be accepted for your own sake.”
32. “I don’t mind living in a man’s world as long as I can be a woman in it.”
33. “If you’re gonna be two-faced, at least make one of them pretty.”
34. “Always remember to smile and look up at what you got in life.”
35. “It’s far better to be unhappy alone than unhappy with someone – so far.”
36. “A career is wonderful, but you can’t curl up with it on a cold night.”
37. “Beneath the makeup and behind the smile, I am just a girl who wishes for the world.”
38. “I think that when you are famous, every weakness is exaggerated.”
39. “This life is what you make it. No 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.”
40. “I don’t know who invented high heels, but all women owe him a lot.”
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