What does Taylor Swift teach us about mental health? And I know, I’m one of many voices writing about this in recent months. But how can you not write about the impact that one of the most lyrically savvy artists of our time? (If you haven’t already guessed, yes, I’m a Swiftie)
So, allow me to add my two cents to a field that is full of ideas.
1 – Connection:
Listening to a Taylor song can oftentimes feel like gazing into the mirror and having your own feelings reflected. Her lyrics teach us that we are not alone in our thoughts, feelings, or behaviors (shout out to CBT). Recently, I was rewatching concert footage and something struck me as she was sitting down to sing Champagne Problems. She says (and I’m paraphrasing here) “I write these words about something I’m going through or feeling, and then I put them out there and wonder if anyone is feeling the same way I am…” And what we saw from the droves of us that came out to her concerts, who streamed and bought her albums, and sent her to the top of the charts, is that YES we do in fact feel so many of the things she’s describing in her songs.
Because it’s not just Taylor that feels these things. It’s a deeper understanding that we are not alone in these feelings. It’s a human need to find connection. We are not an island; we are not an entity into and of ourselves. We need others to varying degrees. Obviously, if we become too dependent on others that can become an issue. But on the other end of the spectrum is feeling isolated, feeling misunderstood and alone. Seeing yourself, your thoughts and your experiences, in her lyrics gives us a glimpse into what it means to have others in our experiences with us.
2- Vulnerability:
There’s an honesty to Taylor Swift’s lyrics. Something that opens a window into what she was feeling, what she is experiencing and going through. Sitting with her in the lyrics we experience vulnerability. To quote the guru of vulnerability – Brene Brown—“Vulnerability is not winning or losing; it’s having the courage to show up and be seen when we have no control over the outcome. Vulnerability is not weakness; it’s our greatest measure of courage.” Taylor’s lyrics are the epitome of showing up and being vulnerable. And it’s a lesson for how our own vulnerability can unlock courage, release shame, and create connection (to go back to our earlier point).
How do we take a cue from the vulnerability in these lyrics to shift our own mental health? If we can find a few of our people to create more connection with, we have a space for vulnerability. We have a space to allow others into the reality of what we’re feeling and how we want to be understand and heard for those things. Create your tribe around this, which leads me to my next point.
3- Reframe and Resilience:
Throughout her career, Taylor has been criticized and judged for her dating choices. She’s been judged for her body, she’s gained weight, she’s lost weight. She’s been called wreckless, she’s been called attention seeking. The litany of what has been said about her and thrown at her has no limits. And she took all of those words, and wrote 1989, and songs like “Shake it Off.” She took the gossip and hate thrown at her and she wrote Reputation. She moved past the judgment and instead created her own reframe—“They say I’ve got nothing in my brain….but I’m just gonna shake it off….” Flash back to the song “Mean,” a critic had wrote some pretty nasty reviews but instead of letting the criticism cause her to shrink away, she took the messages and rose to the next level.
It’s difficult when we are faced with judgment from the outside, it’s even more excruciating when it’s our own internalized thoughts. At times our own self-critical voice can step in and just reverberate the already loud outside negative messages. But here’s where taking a bit of guidance from Swift’s lyrics can be so key. Reframe, rebuild, release. You don’t have to succumb to the critical voice whether that’s from the outside or inside.
To wrap it all up, let’s take a few cues from one of most famous lyricists of our time. Shake It Off , find your State of Grace, and remember It’s Nice to Have a Friend.
