Beyoncé Explains the Meaning of Life in New Short Film

The video is interspersed with new images and shots from the making of her visual album and finds Bey sharing her thoughts on fame, love, life, feminism, marriage, happiness, etc. You know, just schoolin’ life. Some of it is stuff she’s already said before, but there’s still plenty of takeaway—like the part about her being choosy with her body—especially since Bey didn’t really grant an official interview during this album cycle.

Here’s the entire narration:

“I sometimes wish I could just be anonymous, walk down the street just like everyone else. Before I was famous, I was the girl on the heel with the guitar. I was the girl that just wanted a beautiful view of the beach. And now that I’m famous, it’s really, really difficult to do very simple things. I think it’s the hardest thing to give up. But my mother always taught me to be strong and to never be a victim, never make excuses, never expect anyone else to provide for me things I know I can provide for myself. I have dreams. And I feel like I have a power to actually make those dreams become a reality.

“When you’re famous, no one looks at you as a human anymore. You become the property of the public. There’s nothing real about it. You can’t put your finger on who I am. I can’t put my finger on who I am. I am complicated. I grew up with a lot of conflict and dramas and I’ve been through a lot, just like everyone else. My escape was always music. And I’m so lucky that that’s my job. But if I accomplished all of these things and had no one to share with, it would be worth nothing. You need something real in order for any of this stuff to matter. You have to have something that is forever, something that’s invisible.

“I was brought up seeing my mother try to please and make everyone comfortable. And, um, I always felt like it was my job to fix the problem. People pleaser. But I’m no longer afraid of conflict and I don’t think conflict is a bad thing. ‘Cause I know that when you grow up, when you learn a few things, you’re no longer afraid of letting go. You’re no longer afraid of the unknown. You’re no longer afraid of going to certain places in your body and your mind and your soul that may make you feel uncomfortable. And it all starts with if you can look at yourself in the mirror and say “I like that person,” you know. If I hadn’t gone through some of the painful experiences in my life, I would not be me.

“I feel like my body is borrowed and this life is very temporary. I watched my friend’s body deteriorate and to see someone pass on so gracefully put everything into perspective. We do not value ourselves enough, especially young people don’t really appreciate how brilliant our bodies are. I’ve always been very, very specific and very choosy—very choosy—about what I do with my body and who I want to share that with. People feel like they lose something when they get married but it doesn’t have to be that way. There’s nothing more exciting about having a witness to your life.

“I always consider myself a feminist, although I was always afraid of that word because people put so much on it. When honestly it’s very simple. It’s just a person that believes in equality for men and women. Men and women balance each other out and we have to get to a point where we are comfortable with appreciating each other. I have a lot of empathy for men and the pressures that they go through and the culture that have been created, especially for African-American men. I have the same empathy for women and the pressures we go through. The woman has to provide so many things for their children. I consider myself a humanist.

“You know, everybody’s not good at everything. You know, it’s okay to depend on someone. It’s actually what we’re supposed to do. We’re supposed to depend on each other. And when you find the person that you trust and you love and you feel is going to respect you and take all of the shit you have and turn it around and bring out the best in you, it feeds you. It is the most powerful thing you could ever feel in your life. Happiness comes from you. No one else can make you happy. You make you happy. And one thing that’s for sure, the love I have, the music, for my husband, for my child, is something that will last far beyond my life.”