‘Tis the season to be like Taylor: Improving health outcomes with the power of connection
By Elizabeth Ashbourne, PQMD Executive Director
Taylor Swift is a global phenomenon. With her earnest lyrics and memorable melodies, she’s sold over 200 million albums and won 14 Grammy Awards, 40 American Music Awards, 50 Billboard Music Awards, and 30 MTV Video Music Awards, among others. According to the Wall Street Journal, her recently completed Eras Tour generated more than a $5 billion boost to the post-COVID, US economy. And in December 2023, Time magazine named Swift “Person of the Year,” referencing her mastery of storytelling, which resonates with people of all ages and backgrounds around the world.
Her dedicated masses, however, don’t just flock to Swift because of her musical talent or incredible ability to entertain. They come together for the chance to be part of something bigger than themselves—something that stems from the unique identity, culture, and collective action Swift purveys. On social media, she is authentic, quick to call out bad behavior, and unafraid to speak out for what she believes in. Her donations to victims of natural disasters, libraries, food banks, and struggling fans, nurture a culture of caring for and among Swifties. This “Taylor Effect,” clearly reflects her ability to foster a community that acts in concert to collectively make meaning and influence others in the same positive way that Swift has impacted them.
At this point, you might be thinking, “What in the world does it have to do with health outcomes?” Actually, a lot.
According to the World Happiness Report 2023, there’s a positive relationship between doing good and feeling good. People on the receiving end of kindness and altruism experience improved well-being, as do the people responsible for these generous acts. Increasing evidence also shows that this is true in the opposite direction: “when people’s well-being increases, they can become more altruistic.” In fact, “when people’s well-being rises through experiencing altruistic help, they become more likely to help others, creating a virtuous spiral.”
So as we move into this holiday season, I suggest that the global health community might take a note from Taylor. Let’s strive to make caring and connection contagious, and spread it throughout our work and interactions around the world. Let’s endeavor to be authentic in all that we do, a beacon of acceptance and belonging, and quick in extending a helping hand. Let’s stand up for what we believe in, while remaining thoughtful and considerate of others. Most importantly, let’s invest in our people—in our families, our friends, our colleagues, and our neighbors—so that they too are inspired to invest in the lives of others.
Hoping each and every one of you have a wonderful and kindness-filled holiday season!
More about the blog series and the author
I started this monthly blog series to (hopefully) spark discussion around the challenges and opportunities to delivering global healthcare and access to medicines in our current environment. PQMD facilitates collaboration among its member organizations and seeks to continuously support the delivery of high-quality donations of pharmaceuticals, medical equipment and services to communities in need. Members have the opportunity to exchange and share their knowledge and experience with providing medicines and medical services to the people who need them most, in the US and around the globe.
The series will be informed by my more than 25 years of experience in leading, planning, and implementing national and global programs in communities and countries worldwide. I’ve worked in the private sector, public / development sector, NGO, FBO and local organizations, along with living in countries during war time, peace time, in extreme poverty, and with great wealth. I’ve led CEO roundtables at global forums and community leadership circles sitting in the grass under a tree. I’ve managed large scale foundation relations, international and local corporate partnerships, organizational design, communications, outreach and education campaigns, and small- and large-scale coalition building around public and private sector management. My specialties include public-private partnerships in global health, environmental, education, and social development.
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