8 Things Swifties Are Doing Right In Life That Everyone Else Usually Overlooks
No matter what the haters think, Swifties are having a good time, and that's what matters.
Erman Gunes | Shutterstock Swifties, fans of music superstar Taylor Swift, have a complicated reputation. They’re very passionate and protective of Swift and anyone and anything connected to her. Some say it’s a little over-the-top, but there are a few things Swifties are doing right in life, according to psychology, that the haters often overlook.
Most fans have grown up alongside the singer, and they see her as a real figure in their lives. They defend her like they would a friend. Critics think this parasocial relationship is a bit much, but Swifties don’t see it that way. They’re too busy listening to music they love, searching for the meaning of every Easter egg Swift drops, and showing up at concerts in droves to pay attention to the haters. And the thing is, they have a whole lot of fun doing it. People may think it’s silly to have such devotion for a pop star, but Swifties are having a good time. Really, there are a few things the general population could learn from them.
The 8 things Swifties are doing right in life that everyone else usually overlooks:
1. They improve their well-being by listening to music they love
Most people have music that they would claim to like, or even love. It keeps them going and gets them through the day. Well, that’s exactly what Swifties are doing. They’re listening to the music they love and basking in the joy of it — they just tend to stick to one artist in particular. Think about how you feel when you listen to your favorite music. It has the power to pump you up, make you feel seen, or hold the pieces of your broken heart together. Swifties feel the same way.
The great thing is that listening to music isn’t just a way to feel happier or like you’re relating to someone. It actually improves your well-being, according to music therapist Lorrie Kubicek, MT-BC. “Recently, researchers looked at the impact of music interventions on health-related quality of life, and tried to answer the question about the best way to help make that shift toward release, relaxation and rehabilitation,” she said. Researchers concluded “that the use of music interventions (listening to music, singing and music therapy) can create significant improvements in mental health, and smaller improvements in physical health-related quality of life,” she added. By listening to Swift’s music on repeat, Swifties are actually improving their health.
2. They increase their life expectancy by attending concerts
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You might have heard of a little show Swift put on called The Eras Tour. The tour, which lasted for over a year, included 149 dates and made $2 billion, according to Business Insider contributor Callie Ahlgrim. More than 10 billion fans attended the spectacle at some point. This was, of course, not Swift’s first tour, but it was certainly her largest and most ambitious. Swifties did everything possible to be in attendance, traveling long distances and paying insane amounts of money for resale tickets.
Plenty of haters called the fans attending The Eras Tour silly, but the numbers don’t lie, and neither does the science. A study by O2 and Patrick Fagan, a behavioral science expert and Associate Lecturer at Goldsmith’s University, found that attending a concert for just 20 minutes increased one’s well-being by 21%, higher than the rate for both yoga and dog-walking. Additionally, attending one concert every two weeks could increase life expectancy by nine years. Since a lot of Swifties went to more than one show on the Eras Tour, they’ve increased their longevity by decades at this point.
3. They spend their money on experiences instead of things
Swifties do spend plenty of money on things like albums and merchandise, but the big bucks really go into things like The Eras Tour. Remember, it grossed $2 billion. It’s difficult deciding how you’re going to spend your hard-earned money. There are a lot of material possessions that we all want, but Swifties choose to spend the majority of their money on experiences, whether it’s tickets to The Eras Tour or attending a “Taylor Swift Night” at a local music venue.
This is much better for you than buying things, experts noted. As financial therapist Steven M. Hughes said, “There are very few stories that you are going to be able to share of this coffee maker that you just bought or this car that you finally got in your driveway. So, think about a concert that you’ve been to … the best dinner that you’ve had, the best vacation you’ve been on. These are experiences that pay dividends time and time again.” Swifties know that putting their money towards experiences actually improves their well-being.
4. They are part of a positive community
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One word that would definitely not be used to describe Swifties is “lonely.” Based on the number of attendees at The Eras Tour, there must be billions around the world. Many of them have had the good fortune to meet other Swifties in real life through clubs, parties, and concerts. But even for those who don’t have any “in-person” Swiftie friends, they’re abundant online. Many Swifties make “fan accounts” dedicated to their love for Swift on various social media platforms and make connections that way. It’s all part of the big, fun community they’ve built, which is very good for them.
Nicole Celestine, PhD, explained, “Communities shape the way we live, work, and thrive. They affect our well-being, give us a sense of belonging and frequently determine how supported — or alone — we feel, whether in local groups or online discussion boards.” Martin Seligman and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, proponents of positive psychology, added that communities that follow this positive model include “responsibility, nurturance, altruism, civility, moderation, tolerance and work ethic.” Some might argue that it is an exaggeration to apply this to Swifties, but they have created a space where they feel comfortable being themselves with each other.
5. They get exercise at concerts
It’s not surprising that concerts are a hub for physical activity — think of all the work you do walking around a large venue and climbing stairs to reach your seat. But Swifties do more than just walk around and take the stairs. They follow Swift’s advice to “shake it off” and dance their hearts out at her shows. Really, if you didn’t break a cardio workout-level sweat, did you even go to a Taylor Swift concert? Her infectious music and lyrics make Swifties move to the beat.
Burned-Calories.com said, “Dancing is a full-body workout that targets your legs, arms, and core. The combination of cardio and strength training makes dancing a great option for weight loss, as it helps to burn calories while also building muscle. The constant movement also keeps your heart rate up, allowing you to burn calories more efficiently.” The Eras Tour shows averaged about three hours in length. By their calculation, someone who weighs 150 pounds who danced for that amount of time would burn 1,029 calories. Swifties are staying emotionally and physically healthy.
6. They know how to express their emotions
Swifties are well-versed in emotional expression. They’ve watched the woman they look up to do it for nearly two decades. Just one example: “Then the actors were hitting their marks, and the slow dance was alight with the sparks, and the tears fell in synchronicity with the score. And at last, she knew what the agony had been for.” Not Shakespeare, but the closing track on Swift’s latest album, titled “The Manuscript.” Swifties know that it’s okay to share how they’re really feeling instead of stuffing those emotions down and trying to avoid them. Swift’s emotional lyrics have helped them to see the value of this.
According to Medical News Today writer Jayne Leonard, “difficulty experiencing, identifying, and expressing emotions” is known as alexithymia. The term was coined by Peter Sifneos in the 1970s. Sifneos was a psychiatrist and professor emeritus of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. It is not an official diagnosis, but it is associated with some mental health conditions like PTSD. By watching Swift express her own emotions so vulnerably and honestly, Swifties have found the bravery to do the same.
7. They’ve found something they can relate to
Whatever Swifties are feeling — happy, sorrowful, conflicted — they can rest assured that there’s a Taylor Swift song for that. From upbeat love songs, tales of heartbreak, and even some mental health references, Swift’s discography seems to have it all. No matter what they’re going through, they can turn to Swift for encouragement and validation. Who among us has not felt better after listening to the 10-minute version of “All Too Well” when sad?
Swifties’ ability to pick from a robust catalog of songs and choose something that perfectly relates to their mood is important, said licensed marriage and family therapist Alli Spotts-De Lazzer. “As good storytelling and music do, Swift’s music and lyrics offer comfort to and coping for many,” she said. “Having and using healthy coping skills is a huge part of mental wellness.” Swifties have plenty of comfort they can find in their favorite singer’s lyrics.
8. They regularly hear motivational speeches
From her “Clean” speech on the 1989 World Tour to the remarks she gave as the commencement speaker at NYU, Swift is known for dropping nuggets of wisdom outside of her music, too. Swifties can turn to these wise words when they need a sense of hope and comfort.
For example, Swift told Elle ahead of her 30th birthday, “Every day I try to remind myself of the good in the world, the love I’ve witnessed and the faith I have in humanity. We have to live bravely in order to truly feel alive, and that means not being ruled by our greatest fears.” What Swiftie wouldn’t find inspiration in words like those?
Spotts-De Lazzer said it actually means a lot that fans are regularly hearing these kinds of encouraging maxims. “With her platform, Swift often delivers humble and valuable life lessons,” she stated. “Kind but real talk like this may provide fans with coping affirmations and motivational quotes that counter negative thinking and self-judgment.” A study published in the journal Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience even concluded, “When threatened, self-affirmations can restore self-competence by allowing individuals to reflect on sources of self-worth, such as core values.” Having this wealth of inspirational messages to draw from really helps Swifties.
Some people think it’s ridiculous that people would dedicate so much of their time, money, and energy to a celebrity, especially when a good portion of those people are adults, but Swifties are just enjoying themselves while finding solace in each other and their role model’s words. There’s nothing wrong with that. Maybe we could all be a little bit less judgmental and just let people like what they like. There’s a good chance that you’re a fan of something someone else would judge you for, too.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.
