Taylor Swift has taken the music world by storm over the last decade of her career. From small shows in Nashville to the bright lights of huge stadiums on her multiple international tours, she’s been rightly named the Artist of the Decade and has dozens of awards to back up her new title. She’s also had a profound affect on her millions of fans and taught us a thing or two about surviving this crazy thing called life. Today we celebrate Taylor’s 30th birthday with 30 things Taylor has taught us!
Never compromise your morals
We’ve watched her fight for her first six albums for quite some time now, and she hasn’t backed down once. She refuses to compromise on what she believes, and neither will we.
Live and Love Loudly
It’s easy to get bogged down by negativity, but the best way to combat that is to live and love as loudly as you can. Put your passions first, find your tribe (for us it’s all nerds) and live your truth! In the words of Taylor, “you are what you love” and that’s a mantra we will carry out of “Lover” and into the world.
Never be afraid to reinvent yourself
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Taylor has come a long way in her career and every album has brought us a new facet of her personality. She is never afraid to show fans a new side or reinvent herself when need be (reputation anyone?). It’s inspiring to watch her constant change and reminds us it’s ok to try on new hats, as long as you are staying true to who you are.
Big or small, you can change someone’s life
Taylor is always finding ways to give back to her fans. We see it through Swiftmas, when Taylor sends some of her biggest fans gifts; we see it when she hears a story and pays for a fan’s college tuition or a new house; we see it when she helps pay off a fan’s student loans. She’s one of the most influential stars of our time and no matter how famous she gets, she always gives back to her fans.
Writing is therapy
Whether you wrote your first narrative on your bedroom floor when you were 12 or have just recently fallen into the mystical world of our imaginations, the best writing happens when you tap into your emotions. Often those happen during troublesome times where we might not want to be introspective. Yet by doing so, we’re not only healing ourselves through our words but we’re able to share a piece of our souls with someone else.
Be nostalgic
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In the time of reboots, we’re taught to be critical when revisiting our childhood. We’re forced to give up the magic we once found there. But the thing is, the places we grew up (for Taylor, her Christmas farm) or the shows we used to watch means more to us as time progresses. It is perfectly natural to return to the childlike wonder and share it happily.
Keep your family close
If you go to a Taylor concert, no matter the era, sitting in the sound booth or roaming the floors to gift that precious meet and greet is her mom, Andrea Swift. She’s Taylor’s best friend and anchor. While shows like Gilmore Girls show it’s perfectly normal to have our parents fill those roles, sometimes society says otherwise. But the thing is they won’t be around forever so we should hold onto the time we have now.
Don’t let others undermine your success
In Taylor’s career she’s had people try to cheat (and steal) from the legacy she’s creating, whether that’s interrupting a speech or owning the rights to her music. Yet the constant is her. She put in the hard work, countless hours of strumming the guitar, and the sleepless nights on tour. Be proud of the work you put in to get where you are because you did that and no one can take that away.
Don’t let love harden you
Taylor’s been on the receiving end of a broken heart in her past relationships. Sometimes that broken heart heals quickly, then there are others where you’re left shattered. You don’t know how to pick yourself up so you find your life becoming the literal representation of the music video for “Trouble”. It may take a little effort and time, but you’re always one step away from being clean again.
Be gentle with yourself
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Sometimes it’s not the outside world who’s the bully, but our inner voice who judges the mistakes we make. We might crumble. We might become different people, and sometimes we won’t recognize ourself. Maybe it’s sporting a different hair color or we simply hide from the world. Then time passes, as it always does, and the person on the other side is who we thought we had lost.
Dance like no one’s watching
It’s pretty safe to say Taylor won’t be winning an award any time soon for her smooth moves, but she’s always the first person to dance at award shows during performances and we love her for it!
WWTSW
Whether she is rocking a head to toe sparkling outfit on stage or rocking jeans in her day to day life, there’s no denying that Taylor has a fantastic eye for fashion. As fans, we look to her when choosing our own outfits so just remember to ask yourself, What Would Taylor Swift Wear. She will never steer us wrong.
Haters Gonna Hate
“Shake it Off” is one of those songs you either love or hate, but the truth of it is undeniable. Haters are always going to be around, they will hate (hate, hate) you often for unfounded reasons. But we need only look to Taylor to know how to deal with them — we shake it off and continue being our stellar selves.
You’re an individual
In Hollywood, it is so easy to fall prey to the party hopping and clubbing lifestyle, however, Taylor has always remained true to her baking, Friends binge-watching roots. She isn’t afraid to be herself even if her interests don’t align with the majority and neither are we.
Be passionate
One screenshot into a Taylor music video and you can see the detail she puts into everything she does. She has easter eggs she knows her fans will theorize about and makes sure the design is absolutely perfect. She puts her entire being into her work and that is one of the reasons why she’s where she is today.
It’s okay to have flaws
The thing about being a celebrity is that it’s typical to have your bad experiences flash across the headlines. While some would distance themselves from that, Taylor makes it a point to let her fans know that it’s okay to be human.
Be the kindest person in the room
Ask anyone in the industry and the main adjective attached to Taylor’s name is kindness. From the way she treats her dancers to her fellow artists, no matter how early in their career or how successful, there’ll always be a sense of safety with her.
Never stop having fun
From the cheeky reply on social media to her sarcastic wit in an interview, Taylor knows how to be the life of the party. I mean, c’mon, she’s even walked the streets in a ‘No, it’s Becky’ shirt.
We’re women, not a coat hanger
Society bombards us with messages about our body and it’s easy to succumb to the idea that we have to fit into an idealistic image. However, Taylor makes it a point to spread body positivity. Pasta should be enjoyed and we are much more than the food we eat and the body we are in.
Have a lucky number
Thirteen, heard of it? For most, it’s just a number, but for Swifties it’s associated with Taylor. Naturally taken from her birthday, December 13, is the number that has popped up throughout life-changing moments and acted as a lucky charm. After all, there is a reason it was on her hand during the Speak Now Tour.
Toast to your real friends
Taylor’s friends range from singer Selena Gomez to supermodel Gigi Hadid, but the common factor is that through the storms, they’ve stayed by her side. It’s not about the number of friends you have, but the quality of the friendship.
Furry friends
Before Taylor, there was the old phrase ‘the crazy cat lady’ drawn from portrayals such as The Simpsons. Obviously, we’ve now realized just how cool it is to be surrounded by a gang of paws. Life’s a little more interesting when you have your own Meredith, Olivia, and Benjamin.
Never be afraid to speak out
From having songs like “Mean” to advocating for other artists, Taylor’s never been one to back down from a fight. No matter how tough things may get, she always knows how best to speak the truth and stand for what she believes in. Something we all could do.
Bake up a storm
Taylor’s also known for her skills in the kitchen. She baked cookies for her fans during a “Lover” secret session, and has baked various Christmas assortments over the holiday seasons. Not only is it a great way to still an anxious mind but it’s editable (at least sometimes, eh?).
Magic happens in the rain
Since the first opening of the Speak Now Tour, the rain has acted as a metaphor for everlasting freedom for Taylor. Not only is it a time to act fearless, but when the rain pours down one can also have a clean slate.
Childhood wounds sometimes remain
Taylor’s been very open about her childhood. She wasn’t popular in school. She sometimes ate alone and wasn’t invited to parties. We all had something similar from childhood, and it’s important to respect our past. As adults, we are sometimes thrown back to those times and that’s ok.
Grudges can be let go
We all remember the Katy and Taylor feud, however, there was an important lesson in the “You Need to Calm Down” music video. When they hugged in their fries and burger getups, they let go of the anger they once had. People can change over time, and we can forgive!
May these memories break our fall
We’re taught to always appreciate the moment we are in now as the present is one minute away from being out of reach. This is true but the memories scattered in photographs, the ones where people will point and then remember our names, they’re just as important too.
Everything’s better with sparkles
From the string of lights scattered on the floor on New Year’s Day to the glitter glued on posters celebrating Taylor, everything is more fun with a bit of sparkle.
We’ll change, but we’ll also remain the same
Over the span of 30 years, Taylor has metamorphosed into different versions of herself. There’s been bleachella Taylor, can’t pick up the phone right now Taylor, and then our personal favorite, just Taylor. Underneath it all, she is still the artist we fell in love with. She’s kind, compassionate, inspiring, and is someone you always want in your corner. We may change just like her, but the essence of who you are will forever remain.
Happy Birthday, Taylor Swift!
