Be Like Taylor

Well, I am very sad to announce that this will be my last ever blog post under this name. It has been truly an amazing experience writing about one of my greatest idols and favorite celebrities. There is nothing I would rather write about than Taylor Swift and the amazing person she is. So before I walk away, I can't help but give one last shout out to all the Tswift lovers out there, and the Queen herself - Taylor. Let us all continue to strive to be a little more like her everyday. And if you come across any haters out there, let them hate. Because they clearly don't know what they are talking about. What's not to like about Taylor Swift? So in the words of my girl, "no matter what happens in life, be good people. Being good people is a wonderful legacy to leave behind". Let us be good people. Let us be like Taylor Swift.

Inspiring Others

Inspiration is one of the most fitting words I can think of when describing the queen herself. We have already discussed her deep and loyal love and respect for her fans, but did you know that she has gone to great lengths to try and inspire her fans to have confidence and love them for who they are. One of the most inspirational moments I have had with Taylor, was at her 1989 concert. Before singing the song "Clean" Taylor gave a speech that nearly brought a crowd of thousands to tears. She talked about how nobody is perfect, and no matter where you go in life there are going to be people who try to bring you down. She strives to get the message out that we need to care less about what people think of us, and love ourselves for who we are. "You are not the opinion of someone who doesn't know you." Taylor always makes it a point to be a part time motivational speaker as she travels around the world for her tours. She helps everyone feel like they belong and like they matter. I remember leaving that concert actually feeling inspired and a little better about myself because Taylor created that feeling in me. If only we could all be this way, and make it a life goal to make people feel important everywhere we go. This is another thing we need to strive to do while trying to be more like Taylor. And for those of you who haven't had the privilege of hearing her awesome Clean speech, I have posted it below for you to watch. I hope you all walk away feeling a little bit more inspired just as I did. 

Distractingly good

If only we could all be as humble, and perfectly humorous as Taylor Swift. This week she out did herself by being the face of Apple music in an absolutely hilarious commercial. If you haven't seen this commercial already, you need to do so. I have posted it below for all of you awesome swifties to laugh at, cry at and thoroughly enjoy. This commercial shows Taylor rapping "Jumpman" on a treadmill. After a short time passes, she completely eats crap and then finishes the rap on the ground as the words "distractingly good" pop up on the screen. The best part about this commercial is when Taylor herself posted it on social media, she captioned it "based on true events". So yes, Taylor did indeed actually face-plant on a treadmill while working out. The lesson we learn from Taylor here is to learn to laugh a ourselves, and not to be embarrassed or ashamed of the funny mistakes we make. Instead, rock them! She is extremely humble, and is a great example of not being afraid of what others think. She is able to laugh at her imperfect moments and not be ashamed. My hope is that we can all learn to do this. If we can, then may our lives be less stressful and more Taylor like. 

Clean

Yes, Taylor has an amazing song titled "Clean", but I'm not just talking about her song when I say that she is a great inspiration because she keeps it clean. Celebrity after celebrity we watch as some of our favorite stars get caught up in the Hollywood/Rockstar lifestyle. Many celebrities get into some big trouble with drugs and other not so clean things. We all watched as Miley Cyrus fell off of her rocker for a while and went a little crazy. Taylor is somebody that has really strived to keep a good role model reputation, and in my opinion,  has been very successful. She is a prime example of somebody who stays clean in appearance, language and action. She is the type of celebrity every mom should want their daughters to look up to. Her music rarely has foul language or is too raunchy. She keeps her clothes on both on stage and in photo shoots. So unlike many of our celeb favorites who have fallen victim to a much more unclean lifestyle, we can still look to good old Tay Tay for a shining example. Thanks for keeping it clean Taylor Swift, you make it all the better to try and be like you. 

Dedication to the fans

Perhaps one of the biggest reasons people love and adore Taylor Swift is her dedication to her fans. She has such a strong fan base because she has shown time and time again that she loves and supports her fans. There is hardly a day that goes by where she doesn't do something to help one of her fans, or does something freakin awesome for the "Swiftie Nation". Just the other day she donated 10,000 dollars to a young boy with autism so that he could afford a therapy dog that he wanted and would not otherwise be able to get. This is something that is very common for Taylor to do. 

Delaney Clements is a young 13 year old girl with cancer. One of her greatest wishes was to meet Taylor Swift. After Taylor caught wind of this little girl, she made a pit stop in Delaney's hometown in Colorado to pay her a surprise visit on her way home to Tennessee for the holidays. 

On another occasion, Taylor went Christmas shopping for some of her random fans, wrapped them herself, and delivered them. She is truly and inspiration and knows how to show her fans that she cares about them. Below I have posted the video that Taylor made in December 2014 of her Christmas shopping journey. This video is a perfect example of the kind of person Taylor is. It is also a perfect example of the people that we should all strive to be. Enjoy! 

Captivating 1989

Last September, I had chills from head to toe as I looked around a stadium filled with nearly 30,000 people. Each lit up with their very own L.E.D. bracelet, synchronizing to the music at Taylor Swift's 1989 world tour. Her ability to captivate an audience is unreal. The ideas behind what makes her concerts so great, stem from her own imagination and ability to captivate. Taylor has the unique talent of making every person that attends her concert feel like they matter, and she is always very grateful to each of her fans. Her speeches in between songs are also memorizing as every individual person in a swarm of thousands of people feel as though Taylor is just talking to them. At least that is how I felt. The lights, the music, the inspirational advice, the fans, the people she brings on stage with her, all contribute to making her concerts so unforgettable. For those of you who have never experienced one of Taylor's concerts, I have posted a video below that might give you a small taste. 

So how do we go about captivating those around us just as Taylor Swift has so obviously mastered? Keep the fans in mind. Taylor focuses on her fans and making their experience amazing, and that is why people love her performances. Because she cares. So we need to learn from Taylor and put forth effort into considering those around us as well as their needs, wants and desires. This will help us captivate our own "fans". #beliketaylor

Talvin

In honor of the one year anniversary of Taylor Swift and Calvin Harris, I have highlighted some of Taylor and Calvin's greatest moments together. Let us all strive to have Taylor and Calvin like relationships. #goals

Just look at that look he gives her. #goals

Just look at that embrace. #goals

Calvin and Taylor at the beach!? #goals

Building a snowman together. #goals

Riding a giant bird together. #goals

Fearless

"To me, Fearless is not the absense of fear. It's not being completely unafraid. To me, Fearless is having fears. Fearless is having doubts. Lots of them. To me, Fearless is living in spite of those things that scare you to death.”
As a follow up up to last weeks blog, I want to discuss one of the characteristics that I feel has helped Taylor Swift become so successful. Previoulsy mentioned, Taylor's ability to take risks has played a crucial role in her rocket to success. In the beginning stages of her career she took many leaps of faith turning down record companies who wouldn't let her have the freedom she wanted. Thus leading her to Big Machine records who let Taylor take the reigns on her career. Another example of her taking risks was her bold move on changing her genre. Few artists could change their music style 180 degrees and get away with it. By taking this chance, she came out with her most successful album yet, 1989. 
Taylor's career has been full of bold moves, failure, trial, and overwhelming success. We can learn a thing or two from Taylor here about never being afraid of failure and taking leaps of faith. The rewards and lessons are far more worth trying than not. Thank you Taylor for being such an inspiration. 

10 Grammy's

"There are going to be people along the way who will try to undercut your success or take credit for your accomplishments or your fame. But if you just focus on the work and you don't let those people sidetrack you, some day when you get where you're going, you'll look around and you will know that it was you and the people who love you who put you there — and that will be the greatest feeling in the world." - Taylor Swift 2016 Grammy's

Can we please get a round of applause for the queen herself Taylor Swift and her 10th grammy award. This has truly been a celebratory week for Taylor Swift fans all over the world. She continues to gracefully and humbly succeed, and receive such a amazing recognition for her accomplishments. How does she do it?  

We could go on on all day about how Taylor is driven, dedicated, talented and hardworking, but one thing that sets Taylor apart from others is her ability to take chances. She wouldn't be such a success if it weren't for her bold moves and risk taking. And although being fearless, hardworking, and dedicated are all topics for another day, we must take note that it is these things that drive Taylor's success story. 

So in order to be more like Taylor this week, be bold and work hard. I have done the honor of posting some inspirational quotes from the 10 grammy award winner herself to hopefully help motivate and inspire all of you on this weeks journey of becoming like Taylor. You're welcome. 

Charity should not be a rarity

In the year 2015 Taylor Swift made nearly 365 million dollars. She brought in an average of one million dollars per day while traveling the world for her 1989 album world tour. It is no surprise that she is one of the richest performing artist's today. However, what we must love about Taylor is not the fact that she has unlimited amounts of money, but the fact she is so generous with it. 
She is involved with many different charities and has donated to many foundations as well as individual people. Just the other day I read a news article stating that Taylor had gave yet another donation to a young boy with autism. She gave his family 10,000 dollars so that he could buy a therapy dog, which he always wanted but could never afford. That was just the other day. Almost every week, I find some other person or charity in which Taylor has donated her time and or money to. 
I find it easy to look to Taylor as a shining example of somebody who is willing to give what she has worked so hard to make to others. In a world full of celebrities, and people with so much to give, charity should not be a rarity. I hope to see many others like Taylor catch the spirit of giving.

We may not all be millionaires, but we all have something to give. If we can all look at Taylor Swift as an example of charity and generosity, and find it in our hearts to give, we can change lives. The world will be a better place. So thank you Taylor Swift for being so humble and generous with all of your fortunes, and being such an amazing example to your millions of fans. Goal of the week - be charitable in anyway that you can be. Be like Taylor Swift.

Passion for Fashion

It's hard to even know where to begin when it comes to Taylor Swifts fashion. She has a unique style, and with her killer body, it's hard not to look good in anything. Even the Olaf costume, am I right!? Taylor is always looking fresh with the latest fashion and trends. Let's be honest, I'm pretty sure she is the one who starts the trends. So goal of the week, get a better sense of style and be more trendy?? No way. 

Taylor's style has changed very much over the past few years along with the changing of her music. Back in the good old days she rocked that long and beautiful blonde curly hair. A personal favorite of mine. She use to rock a slightly more modest country girl look. As of lately she has really come out of her shell and wowed her fans with her new hairdo and wardrobe. She often rocks a series of dresses and crop tops,

not to mention her awesome sweaters. And how could we forget all of her amazing costumes!? The pegacorn, Olaf, or my favorite... the teletubbie. What surprises come next in Taylor's world of fashion we may never know, but one thing is for sure... She will kill it. No matter what it is. 
   I will say I have been striving to stretch out of my comfort zone, and try a wider variety of styles. However, I do know Taylor Swift to be a strong advocate for being yourself. I'd like to think that Taylor's fashion advice for us would be to feel comfortable in our body and what we wear. I believe she would want us wear what makes us feel confident and strong. So there it is. Dress up. Feel comfortable in your clothes. Don't be afraid to try new things. Look good, feel good. Right? Now you just have to figure out what you feel good in. What style best fits you? Stay beautiful. 

Can't quit the wit

“That moment when you buy scissors and then you try to open them but you can't because you DON'T HAVE SCISSORS”

 -Taylor Swift Twitter.

Let me ask, where does the comedy end!? If any of you are real fans of Taylor like myself, you most likely follow her Twitter and/or Instagram account which means you know that she has a wit that just can't be tamed. If everyone could be as funny as Taylor Swift, the world would be a much better place. I have taken the time to grace you with some of my recent favs from her Instagram.

So yes, the goal of the week is be witty and develop a killer sense of humor. 

I don't consider myself to be hilarious, however I do appreciate a good laugh. Who doesn't!? So I have done some research and I have compiled together a list of helpful hints and tips that I found helpful on how to develop a good sense of humor. You're welcome. 

1. Don't take yourself so seriously!

 Relax, learn to laugh at yourself. Be comfortable with speaking up, and worry less about what people think. 

2. Know your audience.

Everyone views humor differently, so get a feel for the people you are trying to get a laugh out of.

3. Exaggeration and realism. 

Being overly real, or exaggerating can be funny. As long as you can play it off as a joke, and people aren't taking you too seriously, this trick is gold.

4. Be comfortable.

Be okay with having the attention on you. Don't get embarrassed and have fun. Cease the attention. 

That's all I got guys. Like I said, I am not exactly a comedian over here. I think it's most important to just learn to laugh at yourself and not take things so seriously. If you think you are funny, others will too. Maybe. I don't know, maybe that's just me lying to myself. 

If you aren't hard on yourself, others won't be either.. and if they are, well "haters gonna hate" - Taylor Swift.

 (mic drop) 

Taylor Swifts Got Talent

Talented may be a slight understatement when referring to the queen of pop music. Taylor Swift is more than just your everyday talent, she is in my honest opinion, one of the most talented people on the face of the planet. Did I really just say that? Yes. Let me tell you why I truly think this. 

Taylor Swift was singing in local coffee shops by age 10. She learned how to play the guitar at age 12, and began writing her own music. Since then, she has learned two other instruments, and continues to write most of her own songs. Not only is Taylor Swift  responsible for writing most of her own music to this day, but she produces her own music videos. She is also responsible for creating her own fan base and social media accounts that have gained her millions of followers, and insane popularity. 

 So let's recap. Taylor is writing her own songs, creating her own music, producing and preforming in her own music videos, all while being on a world tour performing at least three times a week. If that's not talent, I don't know what is. 

So how do we strive to be a little more like Taylor this week? We simply learn three musical instruments, write over 200 hundred songs, and gain enough fan base that we get paid millions of dollars to tour the world. Easy right? Wrong.

Trying to obtain something like Taylor's natural knack for talent isn't about being as talented as her in the exact same ways as her. It is about finding what we are good at, finding what we love to do, and going for it. We can't hide our talents. So while trying to improve upon my dance skills and vocal chords this week, I learned that despite the fact I'm just short of moves like Jagger, being a pop star might not be my calling in life. I found things that I love to do and things that I feel like I am good at and I worked really hard to expound upon those things. So here's the challenge of the week everybody, ask yourselves "what would Taylor do?". Then go find your talents and make your Wildest Dreams come true, because I know All Too Well that it's what Taylor would do. 

I want to be like Taylor

Why Taylor Swift you ask? Better question... Why not Taylor Swift? 
For years now, Taylor has been rapidly making her way up the pop star ladder of success. She has millions of fans, and possibly even more money. How does she do it? How does a small town girl born in Pennsylvania to a typical American family reach the height of fame with limited help while maintaining relationships and reaching out to adoring fans all over the world? What is it about Taylor Swift that makes people fall so easily in love with her? There are so many reasons as to why everyone should not only love Taylor Swift, but even more than

that, strive to become like her. I personally have been a fan of Taylor Swift even long before she cried teardrops on her guitar over Drew. So if you think I am biased, you may be right. If you don't want to take my word for it, take her millions of albums sold, countless music awards, and her die hard fans as a sign that she is more than just any music artist. She is nothing short of one of the greatest role models EVER! So do the world a favor and stop questioning your love for her. If anything, relate to her. One of the greatest things about Taylor Swift
is how she undoubtably relates to everyone. Don't believe me? Listen to her music.
Whether it's Michael Jordan, Brad Pitt or the President of the United States, everybody has somebody that they aspire to be more like. And that is totally fine! There is nothing wrong with wanting to obtain qualities of one who you look up to and admire. However, if you are going to pick somebody to be more like, make sure they are worth your time. Make sure they are a good role model, an example of success, and a person of genuine and kind hearted interest. Make sure they are dedicated, hard working, loved by many, and simply amazing. Basically, make sure they are like Taylor Swift.

Follow my blog and my journey of trying to obtain swift-like attributes. New week, new goal, and one step closer being more like Taylor.