"And I have to work so hard at talking positively to myself. If I don't, it's just real hard to get through the day, and I'll get really down, and just want to cry. My whole body language changes. I get more slumped over"
About this Quote
The subtext is bodily. Burke doesn’t just say she feels bad; she tracks the emotional slide into posture, into silhouette: “My whole body language changes… more slumped over.” It’s a reminder that mood isn’t only private and mental, it’s public and visible, which is especially loaded for someone whose career depends on being watched. In an industry that polices women’s bodies for a living, her admission reads like a backstage truth: despair shows up in the very thing you’re trained to control.
Context matters here: Burke became a major 1980s TV star and tabloid target, frequently scrutinized for her appearance. So when she talks about talking to herself just to “get through the day,” it carries the wear of a long, culturally enforced audition - not for roles, but for acceptability. The power of the quote is its plainspoken map from thought to feeling to physical collapse. It’s not melodrama; it’s an anatomy lesson in how shame and pressure travel through a person.
Quote Details
| Topic | Mental Health |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Burke, Delta. (2026, January 15). And I have to work so hard at talking positively to myself. If I don't, it's just real hard to get through the day, and I'll get really down, and just want to cry. My whole body language changes. I get more slumped over. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/and-i-have-to-work-so-hard-at-talking-positively-140799/
Chicago Style
Burke, Delta. "And I have to work so hard at talking positively to myself. If I don't, it's just real hard to get through the day, and I'll get really down, and just want to cry. My whole body language changes. I get more slumped over." FixQuotes. January 15, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/and-i-have-to-work-so-hard-at-talking-positively-140799/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"And I have to work so hard at talking positively to myself. If I don't, it's just real hard to get through the day, and I'll get really down, and just want to cry. My whole body language changes. I get more slumped over." FixQuotes, 15 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/and-i-have-to-work-so-hard-at-talking-positively-140799/. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.








