Screenshot from New Heights Podcast on YouTube, Jason and Travis Kelce interviewing Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift Isn’t Just Talking About Music — She’s Talking About How to Live
Taylor Swift’s New Heights podcast episode with Travis and Jason Kelce wasn’t just celebrity chitchat — it was a goldmine of life lessons. She spoke about protecting her energy, valuing truthful feedback, focusing on real relationships, and owning her work.
For Filipinos, these aren’t just nice-to-hear tips — they challenge many cultural patterns we’ve grown up with.
1. Protect Your Energy Like Your Life Depends on It
Taylor chooses not to engage with every online comment, even if her name is front and center in a headline.
💡 Filipino Lens: In our culture, pakikisama (harmonious relations) and utang na loob (debt of gratitude) sometimes push us to always say “yes,” attend every family event, or respond to every opinion about our lives — even when it drains us. Protecting our energy means learning it’s okay to say “no” without guilt.
2. Surround Yourself with Truth-Tellers, Not Yes-People
Taylor values people who give her honest, constructive feedback, not just endless praise.
💡 Filipino Lens: We often avoid direct criticism to “save face” (hiya), which means bad ideas or harmful behavior can go unchecked. Imagine if we normalized respectful, constructive feedback in our work, friendships, and even families — we’d grow faster, and with more trust.
3. Your Relationships Are Not for Public Consumption
She and Travis Kelce focus on the relationship itself, not how it’s perceived by the public.
💡 Filipino Lens: Many Filipinos face pressure from chismis culture — neighbors, relatives, and even social media friends weighing in on your love life. Learning from Taylor means remembering that the health of your relationship matters more than what the barangay or your Facebook feed thinks.
4. Own Your Work, Own Your Power
Taylor’s emotional moment of reclaiming her master recordings shows the importance of owning what you’ve worked hard for.
💡 Filipino Lens: Here, it’s common to let others control our career moves — whether it’s a family business run by older relatives or job choices influenced by parents’ dreams, not our own. Taylor’s story reminds us: work for your dreams, but also make sure you own the fruits of your labor.
5. Balance Hustle with Hobbies and Joy
She makes time for hobbies like baking, sewing, and even joking about adopting an otter.
💡 Filipino Lens: Our hustle culture often glorifies having multiple jobs and side gigs without rest. But tambay time doesn’t always have to mean idleness — it can mean intentional rest, creativity, and joy.
If you’ve been wanting to explore a hobby that relaxes you after work, start small — maybe try beginner-friendly baking kits or a portable sewing machine you can get online.
6. Focus on Longevity, Not Just the Moment
Taylor keeps a long-term vision for her career, not just chasing quick wins.
💡 Filipino Lens: In a society where many chase instant success — whether through trending TikToks, quick-cash schemes, or sudden fame — Taylor’s approach reminds us that real impact comes from consistency, not just virality. We should invest in skills and relationships that can sustain us for decades.
Final Thought for Filipinos:
Taylor Swift’s wisdom isn’t just “celebrity advice” — it’s a mirror for our culture. It challenges us to guard our energy in a world that constantly demands it, value truth over comfort, protect our private lives, claim what’s ours, enjoy the journey, and think long-term.
And if you want to start living more intentionally like Taylor — whether that means baking your own bread, journaling, or picking up a relaxing craft — investing in a small, meaningful tool today can be your first step. You can check some of my favorite starter kits here (affiliate link).
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