Taylor Swift is my hero and should be yours, too!

When it comes to new things, I have a tendency to judge before I try. It’s a surprise for me to say that because I’d like to think that I’m more open about new things, but apparently I have my blind spots. 

And I recently noticed I was doing this judging with music because I JUST discovered Taylor Swift. 

I mean, I’ve definitely heard of her and have seen her around, knew that she was a country singer and was Kanye West’s nemesis a few years back. 

But now I find myself enthralled with her music and her ability to inspire others (not just with her music but with her life.)

Ok, now this is not only about Taylor Swift because I want to say that I’ve made judgments on other things outside of music as well. 

For example, when yoga made it’s way into my periphery, I poo-poo-ed it. I mean, I was young (not quite in body ache/adulting mode just yet) and felt like what they were doing was just weird. I didn’t understand it so I judged it. But eventually felt compelled to go to a class…

I also remember trying to understand how people could eat NO MEAT! I was like, “how are they surviving?!” And I remember also thinking, “I will never NOT eat meat!” 

Now I love Taylor Swift, Yoga and I don’t eat meat. My, how things change…

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But my main point is that I think it’s so easy to judge without trying and that many of us live in this space our entire lives. Blinded to trying new things. And even more fear around failing at the new thing so we don’t try. I’m definitely in that boat in periods of my life…until I try it and then I become the biggest fan of it!

I also want to jump to the side here because I’ve also made crazy judgments about millennials. And to be honest, millennials are amazing! For a while there I was feeling a deep degradation of society but am now feeling more inspired and called into action by millennials.

Because I didn’t understand them, I judged them. 

I was listening to a podcast recently that spoke about how as adults we don’t take seriously the next generations. That we tend to think our music, politics, culture was the best and that anything that comes next is sub par and actually on the downside. This is the kind of thinking that stunts growth. And I’ve definitely openly complained about the next generations! {Doing my best now to not do that!}

Even Frank Sinatra poo-poo-ed Elvis Presley publicly when Elvis came unto the scene. It was years later that Frank made amends. They eventually sung a song together! Check this out

All to say, pay attention to what you’re judging. It’s often what you want to experience.

Be in the open and free space. Stay in growth. You don’t know what you’re missing. And listen to this song!

-Jess

Amanda Becker