SHAKING OFF THE HATERS: TAYLOR SWIFT’S TIME OF TRIUMPH 

If you didn’t see this, you might be living under a rock or just avoiding social media as many people are these days but this is one story I am here for!
Taylor Swift has just been crowned Time’s Person of the Year, and wow this triggering some people!

You’ve got the die-hard Swifties who’ve built this cult-like community around her, rooting for every win and embracing her authenticity.

There’s also this unexpected resistance, especially from some men who just can’t fathom a woman rocking the world like Taylor does. And get this, even some women are saying she shouldn’t be Person of the Year, and you can’t help but think, “Do you not see the power she holds?” and “Why are you so resistant to this?”

But the one thing that shocks me is how many people have come out and said – “Oh yes but Hitler was on the cover in 1932… so there’s that.”
Why when a female has success do others look to take her down a peg or two? What is it that triggers people to make such a comparison? And, have they ever made this same comparison when a man was on the cover? If they didn’t maybe they should have when Elon Musk was featured last year… just a side thought.

The first “Man of the Year” was in 1927. The name changed to “Person of the Year in 1999.” And here is a fun fact – before 1999 there were 4 women on the cover – two of them were jointly with their husbands so not sure if that really counts but all four of these ladies were connected to royalty or political figures.

After 1999 there were 3 years where a female or group of females were on the cover – Taylor Swift will make it number 4. All of the women featured were really trying to implement change for a cause they were passionate about. They were doing good things in the world.

As a female, we should be celebrating – this is good. Barriers are continuing to be broken – just look at the numbers in 72 years there were four women, in 24 years there were four women (five if you count Melinda Gates). And to put this in perspective, even when Oprah was the “Queen of Media” and by 2007 was often named most influential woman she was never on the cover. In fact in 2007 Time named Vladimir Putin as Person of the year!

I love that Taylor Swift was selected and I am not even a Swiftie but in the last few months have become more familiar with who she is and what she is about. She is breaking barriers, doing things her own way and being herself – which is a lesson we can all learn from. Taylor is a great role model for young girls, she is talented, uses her gift and believes in hard work to get to where she wants to be.

A few highlights from her story that I love:

• • • She refuses to let the media dictate who she is or what she thinks and will not actively participate in the age old habit of pitting women against each other.
    • When she decided to rerecord her music she shared that it was Kelly Clarkston that gave her the idea and support to do it.
    • Taylor calls out Kane and Kim for their shadiness and shares how that affected her mentally and emotionally.

Here are some of my favorite quotes from the article:

• • • “There’s no point in actively trying to defeat your enemies because “trash takes itself out every single time.”
    • “Clearly it’s very lucrative for the media and stan culture to pit two women against each other, even when those two artists in question refuse to participate in that discussion.”
    • “I’m just there to support Travis,” she says. “I have no awareness of if I’m being shown too much and pissing off a few dads, Brads, and Chads.”
    • “And what has existed since the dawn of time? A patriarchal society. What fuels a patriarchal society? Money, flow of revenue, the economy. So actually, if we’re going to look at this in the most cynical way possible, feminine ideas becoming lucrative means that more female art will get made. It’s extremely heartening.”

Taylor’s not just a pop icon; she’s a leader changing the game for women. She’s all about doing things differently, in her own way, and that’s something to admire. The “Taylor” effect is real, and it’s changing the world, annoying NFL fans and all. So, whether you’re a Swiftie or not, you can’t ignore the impact she’s having on how we see women in the spotlight. It’s a shift towards a more supportive future for females, and Taylor’s right there at the forefront, making waves in her sequins and glitter.

Cheers to the Taylor Swift Effect!

And be sure to read the full article in Time Magazine. 

TAKE ACTION: HOW ARE YOU SHAKING OFF YOUR HATERS?

Review the list of questions:

• • 1. Do you let your haters trigger you?
    2. Are you spending way too much time worried about what people might think or say about you?
    3. Are you pretending to be someone else that you think people will like or are you being authentic?

If you answered YES to any of the questions above it might be time to revaluate your purpose and figure out how you can get back to being more authentically you! 

Until next time,