An icon in the popular music industry of the twenty-first century, Taylor Swift has risen to and maintained popularity for her unique portrayal of young relationships and vivid, lyrical storytelling. While “Swifting” has become infamous as a verb for its connotation of heartbroken songwriting, Ms. Swift’s topical choices and hyper-specific lyrical references may serve an even more valuable, overlooked purpose: long-term self-reflection.
From the teenage naivety of Taylor Swift, Fearless and Speak Now, through the media scorn of Red, 1989 and Reputation, to knowing true contentment in Lover and finally relishing in the artistry of music with Folklore and Evermore, Taylor Swift’s albums preserve a tangible collection of stories and lessons from nearly two decades of fame. Moreover, her music covers more profound life moments, such as dealing with cancer diagnoses of loved ones, misogyny in professional industries and overcoming emotional abuse. Essentially, Taylor Swift is unique as an artist in that her discography serves as a massive archive of each era of her life in all its glory and mistakes. Now a woman in her 30s, Swift has reflected in several interviews on how she feels as though her music allows her to remain connected to and empathize with her younger self from a more mature standpoint.
Beyond simply providing content for superfans to relish in, it turns out that detailed lyrical accounts hold an immense practical value that can be applied to each of our non-superstar daily lives as well. Reflective self-analysis in this manner performs the dual function of a short-term emotional outlet and a long-term record of growth.
While Taylor chooses to do so through elaborate musical compositions, the reality is that a commitment as simple as a private journal or photo diary would suffice for the same purpose. Navigating the complexities of young adulthood produces a constant cycle of difficult decisions accompanied by ebbs and flows of elation, anxiety and confusion. Taking the time to regularly document events, reflect on your emotions and analyze how to grow in the future is an easy tool in overcoming many of life’s overwhelming moments. Modern-day individuals have the advantage of easily accessible phone photography and note-taking functions to facilitate this effort. Even if it means simply saving a reflectively-captioned Snapchat each day or jotting in your Notes App when times feel significant, taking this extra step will allow for the healthy expression of emotions.
Oftentimes, when we fail to actively devote the time to think about our emotional state, these important thoughts, opinions and feelings become buried by the realities of a busy life; they are not truly lost, but merely repressed in a manner that can resurface negatively in the future.
The so-called “Taylor Swift Effect” of not only thinking through transitions but tangibly recording them holds the added value of allowing you to reflect in real-time and also later on in life. Universally, psychologists promote regular journaling, especially for young adults, as among the most effective tools in mental health betterment and inner-self connectedness. Documenting successes and failures alike allows us to better understand ourselves, offering grace, empathy and newfound wisdom to the versions we once were.