Quotes from Mickie James

I had pretty much accepted the fact I was going to be a stay-at-home mom and do my other adventures in life. I thought coming back to the WWE was out of the cards for me.

I got into wrestling to be a WWE superstar - that was my goal.

Most people know that Lita has been, as far as my wrestling career is concerned, a big influence even before I came to the WWE. We met when I was working the independent scene in North Carolina. She's always been so kind to me and helped me out a lot.

I've always loved music. I've worked on music and written music, but, it wasn't until I was actually on the road full time with WWE that I put my first album out.

I've been doing this close to 19 years now, and I always dreamed of being in the WWE.

I watched WWE as a child. I was a fan.

I can't say that I never will or would go back to the WWE. I honestly never intended on leaving until I retired. However we don't choose our destiny. We just live it.

I kept doing tryouts, and finally, after five years I got signed by WWE.

I've always wanted to sing so badly, but I didn't think it was something that was possible for me. Plus, I didn't think I was good at it.

When I was younger, my mom worked at a roller rink, so I'd go all the time. I learned to skate pretty well. I won the limbo all the time.

When the lights in the arena turn on, I'm Mickie James all the time.

I was fortunate enough to be able to keep my real name and build a whole bio around Mickie James.

I know who Asuka is, I've seen her work in Japan and NXT. She is incredibly talented.

I was always writing - whether it's ideas, poems, whatever - because we spent so much time in the car traveling from city to city.

I don't kiss and tell.

You just have to be true to yourself and do what you love to do.

There was a match in Alaska that I had with Beth Phoenix at a house show where we had a standing ovation from Ric Flair, Triple H, John Cena, and Arn Anderson. I got to work with her so much that we knew each other's body language. Got a standing ovation from the entire locker room. It was amazing.

I'm going in with the mentality that I'm going to win. If you don't go in there thinking that, you've already beat yourself.

I don't really look at myself as a mentor.

As a heel, you get to make twists and turns that really sell that character so that you can get that genuine kind of heat from people that want to hate you.

You can teach anybody wrestling moves, hopefully, if they have an athletic bone in their body. However, the ones that are going to make money and be different are the ones with personality.

I wanted to help my sister, Latoya, because she's an awesome cook. She's one of the best culinary people I've ever met. She makes awesome cakes, so I was thinking about starting a little coffee shop cafe where she could sell them. I want to open a little, small, mom-and-pop place, but she can also do catering, too.

The most significant thing is to always stay true to yourself. What brought you to where you are will continue to separate you. The thing is to be different.

My stepfather was a country music fan, and I grew up on a horse farm, so the older country, that's what he listened to.