We listen to her country and pop hits on the radio every single day, but dig a little deeper into the lyrics within her five, award-winning studio albums, and you'll be certain to find quite a bit more guidance.
1. "I'm alone, on my own, and that's all I know. I'll be strong, I'll be wrong, oh but life goes on."
It's no secret that Taylor has had her share of heartbreak. In fact, whether the details are plastered onto the cover of national tabloids or even embedded into her own lyrics, her love life is just about as public as it gets. But in "A Place In This World," young Taylor taught us an important lesson—it's okay to ride solo! You must love yourself, accept your faults and be confident before you can lend your heart away.
2. "...cause I'm gonna stay through it all, so jump then fall."
When you say Taylor, I say Fearless. She's no stranger to the word; as a matter of fact she has an entire album named after her clearly favorite attribute. One of the hidden gems of her sophomore album is "Jump Then Fall," where she expresses the importance of standing for what you believe in regardless of what the outcome may be. We learn from the queen of crossover that risks are ever-present, and though the results may vary, some mistakes are worth making and are no reason to be ashamed.
3. "There's something 'bout the way, the street looks when it's just rained; there's a glow, off the pavement."
It doesn't get any more simple—stop and appreciate the little things in life, like this one line that opens the title track of Fearless. Life can be pretty fast-paced, especially when you're with someone you care about, but if you don't stop and take a second to look around every once in a while, you might miss something great.
4. "I don't know if Snow White's house is near or far away; but, I know I had the best day, with you, today."
Dig a little deeper in the time capsule that is Taylor's early days and you find what I believe to be her best and most sentimental song, about "The Best Day," or a series of them, with her family. This one hits home with our inner kindergartners and the innocence that we all embody, still today. Taylor reminds us that it's important to take a step back and appreciate those little moments that we take for granted. The hay rides and car rides and even a day with your folks inside will be the memories that carry you into adulthood.
5. "And they tell you that you're lucky, but you're so confused, 'cause you don't feel pretty, you just feel used."
We live in a world that is completely absorbed by the light that is Hollywood and the image that is ever-so unrealistic—one who attains this spotlight is materialized and looked at as "The Lucky One," but as Taylor reminds us, it's not all about the glitz and the glam, and your name "up in lights" doesn't make any difference if you don't hold true to yourself.
6. "So don't you worry your pretty little mind, people throw rocks at things that shine."
Generation Y may indeed worship Ms. Swift and believe that she lives life carefree and always on a pedestal; however, she tells us that her road is just as bumpy as ours is—we all have our good days and our bad days, and those bad days just make you even more special.
7. "I said remember this feeling; I pass the pictures around, of all the years that we stood there on the sidelines, wishing for now."
Taylor Swift and the word humble can nearly be used interchangeably. She reminds us to let our roots "Long Live," never forgetting who we are and where we came from, and moreover, what we did to get to where we are today.
8. "I just realized everything I have is someday gonna be gone."
As she tells us often and tells us loudly, Taylor reminds us to embrace our youth and never lose sight of the memories that we will never get back. In a way, she tells us to "Never Grow Up" and to take a deep breath, spending each second wisely and never rushing towards the future.
9. "The rest of the world was black and white, but we were in screaming color."
One of the most basic lessons we can learn from Taylor is to keep you in mind. Stop worrying about how the rest of the world is spending their lives, and focus on your own happiness, and of course, stay "Out Of The Woods."
10. "Honey, life is just a classroom."
We're learning every day. We weren't born with wisdom and neither was Taylor (or was she?). We all learn from our mistakes and clearly from Taylor Swift lyrics. We're all young and "New Romantics," and we have a lot to learn in this life. So keep the lessons coming, Ms. Swift.
