Tavis Smiley . Shows . Mary J. Blige . December 21, 2009 PBS:

"Blige: I really couldn't. When I look at myself it's really hard not to see all the work that still needs to be done. I don't pick myself to pieces, but I definitely see all the things that still need work. That's the significance behind the title. 'Stronger with Each Tear,' because even now the trials that come are the trials that come to show you that you haven't learned a certain lesson - the lesson of forgiveness, the lesson of even more self-love. In those trials is where we cry the most and we hurt the most because we feel like we've been knocked off our square, and when we come out, we come out stronger. At least I do. But you have to learn the lesson in order to come out stronger. For a woman like me, who's constantly out there trying to continue to better myself and progress in a spiritual sense to have a better life, it's hard. It's really hard. It's hard because I'm hard on myself, but what I've learned is not to be so hard on myself."